I agree, but here's a counterpoint / devil's advocate argument -

It's broadly true that wages tend to be "sticky downwards", and that it's much easier to not give something than to give it and then take it away.

As you correctly noted, there's much higher job security in European markets relative to the US. This also means that companies might be reluctant to over-extend themselves in good times, for fear of having no effective way of regulating salaries downwards in a prolonged slump.