I empathize with your story about being promised one thing and then not getting it.. But I think it's important to acknowledge that in most industries, you get

I empathize with your story about being promised one thing and then not getting it.. But I think it's important to acknowledge that in most industries, you get a 2-5% raise maybe once a year, sometimes adjusted for cost of living if your employer is particularly good. Getting an 8% raise after 6 months is actually pretty good, relative to the rest of the working world, even though it's not what you were promised (so I acknowledge that maybe you accepted a lower starting salary with the assumption it would go up quickly - and so definitely a "bum deal"). Even with all the problems we face, we (the tech industry) have it pretty good, relative to the rest of the working world.