Compare that paragraph with this earlier article:
*** g00 10/8 pp.13-15 Whatever Happened to the "Job for Life"? ***
GRAHAM worked for a large Australian company for 37 years. In his late 50's, he was suddenly given a few weeks' notice that his services were no longer required. We can understand his perplexity, reflecting astonishment and deep concern for his future welfare. 'Whatever happened to my "job for life," which I thought was secure until I reached the age of retirement?' Graham wondered....In an effort to become competitive and to reduce production costs, American companies began cutting the number of workers and improving methods and equipment. The technique used to reduce the work force became known as downsizing. The process has been described as "reducing the size of an organization's workforce, usually through a combination of layoffs, early retirement incentives, transfers, and natural attrition."....In her book Healing the Downsized Organization, Delorese Ambrose explains that in 1956 the term "organization man" was coined to describe the typical employee. She adds: "Whether he worked as a union laborer or as a manager, he turned over his economic well-being, social life, and loyalty to the organization in exchange for security -- a job for life. Clearly, this pact has been broken in the modern corporation."
Millions of workers around the world have lost their jobs to downsizing, and no group of employees has escaped unscathed. In the United States alone, the number of employees involved has been substantial, with millions losing permanent jobs. Similar downsizing has occurred in many other countries. But these cold statistics alone do not convey the human misery behind them....Graham, mentioned at the beginning of this article, said: "You suffer some real psychological damage." He compared his dismissal to "an illness or a bruising physical encounter." When loyalty is not rewarded, people feel betrayed because the sacrifices that they have made for the company are not valued. Trust is lost.
