Ask HN: why is my F500 employer okay with paying 5x to freelancers?

Summary

I've changed some facts a bit. The story still stands.This is definitely one of those times where I'm breaking my brain because something isn't logical and I haven't yet understand the cultural side of things, or hidden reasons I haven't identified yet. In almost all aspects of life, I don't have this issue anymore, but corporate life is new to me.So could you please help me out?I work in the Netherlands in a marketing department where we have a dire need for more IT skills. I happen to have been a software engineer currently turned data analyst which is why we're capable of launching technical projects fast. IT people are being hired as freelancers around 150 euro's per hour. I'm making 30 euro's per hour as an employee. I know that as an employee my 30 euro's is actually "more" due to vacation and pension, etc. but it's nowhere near 150 euro's. Also, these freelancers have been working here for years on a per hour basis.They were asking me, among others, how we should manage our budget of half a million euro's. I asked them: "why don't you simply see if you can ask your current staff to work 20 hours more for 75 euro's per hour on a freelance basis?"Manager: "We can't do that."Me: "but you're cutting costs by 50% plus you minimize overhead because their freelance tasks are adjacent to their actual roles but given it's not their actual role, a freelance assignment is warranted."Manager: "yea but then everyone wants to freelance in this department like that."Me: "So you're telling me that I can go out and freelance for an additional 20 hours but just not with this company?"Manager: "Yea sure as long as it's not a company in the same industry."Me: "But that would create all kinds of overhead. Why don't I just freelance for you guys? You told me you want innovation and a strong focus on AI and I'm currently the only person in your department who can make good on that promise."Manager: "That's just not how it works."Can anyone tell me why not? It frustrates me that mar...