My take away is that "fairness" is a nebulous concept. If you think GitLab is being unfair to you, just find a employer who is not. If you think all employers are being unfair, then stop being an employee and become an employer - to compete with them. If you think VCs / investors are exploiting employers, then become an investor instead. It's very easy for a notion of "fairness" to lead to you taking choices away from less advantaged people and therefore cause more harm. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

If you think GitLab is being unfair to you, just find a employer who is not. If you think all employers are being unfair, then stop being an employee and become an employer

This is simply passing the burden on to the job seeker. Whereas, pushing for better structures is about improving the industry.

Look at the effects, not intentions. People are happy to take up GitLab's offers as it stands. That's a GOOD THING. It benefits them. It's not exploitation, just because it's not good enough for us. If we set the moral norm as "Don't allow people to bid less", natural economic response will be to hire less and automate more.

It's exploitation, because they otherwise stand to gain better. This isn't bidding.