Time for Shareholders to Unite!!

Having a taste of how the votes go at the shareholders meetings, I believe that there is a way to protect ALL the smaller shareholders. The last company I worked for gave me insight to the corruption at the top that denies the smaller shareholder, their fair share. This company had a pension plan that was based in company stock. Every year when the shareholders would vote their minds at these meetings, those of us with the pension plan would receive a little package in the mail along with a "proxy card". We would be asked to sign it and return this card to the company. For those who do not know, this card, when signed, would essentially give the CEO the power of our shares from the pension plan. Kinda BS if you ask me.

I believe that some of the smaller shareholders of large companies should get yourselves a website and set it up for all the shareholders to access. One of the features should be a form that will allow each of these shareholders to fill out and give someone in the group the ability to be the proxy for all the small people who own stock. I am sure that you will find that you can do many things including getting rid of your current board of directors and replacing them with people who have concern for not only the company but for the shareholders as well. In this way you could also CUT the bonuses that are so liberally given to CEOs as well as other "underperforming" people. You would soon see a much larger dividend coming back to you as well as a prosperous company.

For me it does not matter at the moment because I only own stock in my 401k which does not give me voting rights! But for those who can vote but do not, this way of pooling your votes would send a strong message. I saw a very similar message sent to the owner of a company I worked for. Since the company was privately traded, the owner thought he still owned the company and could still do what he felt he wanted to do. Well, those who invested in this private company finally got fed up with his God attitude. They pooled their votes together and essentially tossed the founder of this company out on his butt.

I am sure he raised all kinds of hell because what I heard was that he was forbidden from involvement in any part of his own company. Decisions have been made by those that tossed him out. Unfortunately it may have been too late. The company continues to downsize here in the states and without adding to their China and Mexico facilities. In this instance they simply allowed the owner to make bad decisions for far too long and the company may never recover.

This is just a little advice from someone who has seen the bad in companies and believes that the extra monies should go to the stockholders in divendends and not underperforming CEOs and Board of directors. Don't wait until you no longer see dividends since that will be the end and the only ones who won't lose, will be those at the top.