Post-scandals, US public is angry with corporate chieftains
By Our Corporate Bureau | 19 Oct 2002
Washington, DC: US public opinion has been soured by scandals at Enron and other big firms, with a vast majority saying they believe corporate chieftains are overpaid and get rich at the expense of others.
The survey by Harris Interactive found 87 of respondents believe that most top company managers are paid more than they deserve. Some 85 per cent of those who think top managers become rich at the expense of ordinary workers are angry about it and 46 per cent are very angry, the survey found.
One indication that attitudes toward business leaders have become more hostile as a result of the recent scandals is that two-thirds of those surveyed said that rewards in the workplace are distributed less fairly today than they were five years ago. The poll surveyed 2,023 adults between 24 September and 2 October 2002.
While anger at pay and perks of top managers is widespread, it is particularly strong among the 37 per cent of the public who say they are worse off today than they were five years ago. In general the older people are, the more likely they are to say they are worse off, and to feel angrier.
Among those 18 to 24, some 53 per cent said they are better off and only 21 per cent are worse off. However, among people aged 65 and over — who feel worse off, by 50 to 12 per cent — 86 per cent are angry and 59 per cent are very angry, the survey showed.
