This is the saddening reality in every economy. The prices of commodities overtake the worker's compensation, rendering the worker always in negative position or deficit. This is maybe because wage hike are often irreversible.For instance, when prices go up during inflation, it goes down also during deflation, but this is not the case with salary. They cannot revert it whenever deflation, that's why companies are a bit cautios regarding this decision. Reason why it's better to have a small business than a job where your success, time and salary is bound to the company's decision.