Check out another one of their success stories: SAS,
http://www.usatoday.com/money/indust...-culture_x.htm
This company could make BILLIONS if it went public. The owner decided against it and the workers all live the dotcom good life because he DIDN'T. With no investors to pay dividends to and stockholders to answer to, and no board members to pay million dollar salaries to, he can pay his employees crazy sized wages, free child care, college tuition, etc...
If United used the same system, their retiries wouldn't be poor right now.