NATION : Resentment High in Workplace

An overwhelming number of Americans believe their employers are trying to take advantage of them, and their resentment is likely to increase if the recession and the Persian Gulf War drag on, a researcher said today.

Most Americans have a cynical attitude toward their jobs, said Donald Kanter, a psychologist and professor of marketing at the Boston University School of Management.

“Most people think they work pretty hard and it’s harder and harder to get anywhere,” Kanter said.

Of 1,115 people surveyed nationwide, 42% think it does not pay to work hard, Kanter said. An overwhelming 72% said management will try to take advantage of employees, and 68% said management salaries are unfair when compared to what workers earn.

Blue-collar workers are more likely to be angry about their jobs than professionals, but those in unstable fields--such as advertising and banking--also feel resentment, Kanter said.