Doubtful. National-wide problems don't face budget problems like a struggling family would. There's always some money around, but certain people on influential positions want to take it all -- that's all there is to it really.

Or in other words, companies absolutely can bump pays, even with something not huge like 5-10% and they would still be fine, probably better even. But we can't have that when the CEO needs another yacht, or whatever it is that those empty people always chase. And it's somehow never enough.

Maybe it is stagnant because companies does not need to compete for staff?