https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/1g6ufbe/just_got_incredibly_low_balled/
When I was a manager I was in a similar situation. I wanted to offer a contractor the same in salary they were getting as a cut from the agency. My boss pushed back by saying, “you need to advocate for the company more.” Basically trying to low-ball them was me doing my duty to the company.
I told him I wouldn’t do that because I believed it was in the company’s best interest to both pay an industry rate and act kindly towards this person who had done right by us constantly.
Come performance review time I got docked for “not considering business interests sufficiently in their decision making.” I was denied a promotion and then let go.
You have to realize that capitalism is an ideology and plenty of people adopt gladly because it benefits their relationship with the hand that feeds them.