Whenever a manager at a company (especially a large one) says:
> I'm sorry, we cannot afford a raise for you at this time
…ask yourself if what they really mean is:
> I'm sorry, we cannot afford a raise for you and a huge payout (dividends, bonuses, etc) for the management and stockholders simultaneously, and our priorities are obvious.
You'd be surprised how often that's the case.
@LouisIngenthron sure, perhaps. But then it is not my job to figure this out, it's literally theirs. That is what they are being paid for. To manage.
And the more pressure from the bottom, the more likely payroll gets un-frozen.
And who knows, maybe the manager also notices how crappy this is and joins themself? That would be swell!