wage freeze; pay freeze
Refers to a policy or situation where wages are intentionally kept from rising, often by employers or government.
The company announced a wage freeze to cut costs.
Labor unions are opposing the government's wage freeze policy.
賃金カット means an actual reduction in wages, while 賃金凍結 means wages are kept at the current level without increase.
給与凍結 is a similar term often used for salary freezes in office settings; 賃金凍結 is broader and can include hourly wages.
Compound of 賃金 (wages) and 凍結 (freeze, freezing). The term is a straightforward Sino-Japanese compound.