I am the TRUE Army of One.
I am the one who has the power of veto over decisions made by my captains, lieutenants, sergeants and corporals;
I have the power to employ or terminate employment of ANY and MANY at my disposal;
I have the authority to approve - or reject - contractual revisions and renewals, as I see fit;
The success (or otherwise) of the company is seen as a direct reflection of MY strategies.
"Enron disclosed that senior executives awarded themselves USD745 million in payments and stock awards, in the year prior to the company's bankruptcy-law filing. Enron disclosed that it had paid USD310 million to 144 senior executives in salaries, bonuses, long-term incentives, and other cash payments. In addition these executives exercised stock options and received restricted stock valued at USD435 million.
"It's more evidence that people at the top knew that they should get while the getting was good, while the employees lost as much as USD1 BILLION", said one of the lawyers representing Enron employees." *source, Asian Wall Street Journal
Sound familiar?
Another interesting subject was raised on CNN during the past week - that of senior executives' salaries. Salaries that were considered "acceptable" (by themselves, no doubt) were $3.5 million...........................10 years ago!
Today, the "acceptable" level is considered to be $6 million to $7 million.
It would seem apparent that methods of increasing revenue - increasing passenger numbers by decreasing pitch, reducing passenger inflight amenities and refreshements (to nothing in many airlines), reducing frequency so that those services that DO operate do so at maximum capacity, substituting smaller aircraft for the same reason, etc. - are all in current practice.
To therefore show a "return to profitabilty", or an increase thereof - hence justifying senior managements' multi-million dollar salaries - the revenue-producing worker is being told that the company can no longer afford HIM!
In a nutshell, organised labour is seen as a threat to the EXCESSIVE SALARIES of a few - people who would willingly make hundreds, and often thousands, redundant, to allow them their greedy grab.
THIS is the true "Army of One" that companies are facing in their fight for survival.