You'd think it would be cheaper for them to just improve working conditions.

So much of "working conditions" are habits and culture. Changing those is a lot harder than installing new lighting or safety guards. Worth it? yes, but there is lag time.

It’d also likely require change from the top down - which is never happening. They’d rather pay people more than change their own behavior.

But they don't want to. The working conditions that everyone rags on about there are a feature for them, not a bug.

That's a great point and corroborates other stories I've heard about increasing mid-level pay. It does continue to support the thesis that is (in simplified form) "everybody has a number".

When?

A few months ago