I said that when they say no, its always the same reason--the budget.

That's not the impression I got, but perhaps I did misunderstand.

And if so, yeah - and? Are companies not supposed to have a budget?

The history of labor shows how little workers will get when there are no safeguards in place.

A history of labor might show that. I'd argue that the history of labor post-labor movement has harmed us on a whole, based on cost and the way workers are no longer empowered.

It's not that fucking easy and you really are speaking from a position of privilege. Your faith in the free market accurately determining value is as absurd as a fundie Christians faith that God will protect the good and virtuous.

You're not going to win any arguments that way. It doesn't have to be easy, it merely has to be fair.