They're concerned about the top talent going to silicon valley, because the salaries are still high there (Google and Facebook, after all make as much or more money than most banks), and banks don't need many programmers, they just need good ones...
Quality is the key word. I work for a North American bank (not an engineering role) and at least in my experience you really have to be insanely exceptional junior talent or exceptional in a senior role to command something high
