However, in the story, a depressed man working for a huge corporation refuses to cooperate when the firm launches an efficiency initiative.
After unsuccessfully trying a number of positions, Grogatch is demoted to a low-level job as night sewer maintenance worker, even though he is intelligent.
At first, he manages to keep up his morale in the mindless job by distracting himself after work with the company's group recreation facilities and communal telescreens, and using the lower-tier erotic services coupons he receives.
When the vast, bureaucratic management issues an efficiency improvement memo that extends the workday by three hours, all of the other workers accept it.
Even though he is not officially allowed to raise his concerns with senior management, Grogatch uses his sewer worker uniform to get access to the offices of the top executives.