How do other businesses treat employees during hard times? 4.8 percent pay raise for workers at VW

  Scandal-hit VW agrees to 4.8 percent pay rise for workers

"...the kind of raises that could help the 19-country eurozone lift inflation from dangerously low levels. The company said Friday that almost 120,000 workers would get 2.8 percent more on Sept. 1 and then another 2.0 percent on Aug. 1, 2017..."

Reference: www.timesfreepress.com