He's been working for this company for about 10 years now. Making about $10k more than minimum wage, which is better than most but not great for a man of nearly 50 with a good education and a good head on his shoulders. He started in the warehouse, now 10 years later hes managing warehouse, warehouse office, some accounting work, and doing all customer pick ups. Its a small company, but in the 10 years they have let 3 people go and never bothered to replace them, putting the work on my husband again and again. They bumped him up 10k from making minimum wage about 3 years ago :/. Just last year he made a whole case for a large raise considering his extremely expanded duties and responsibilities, and the fact that he was doing more than one role. They shot him down. He is literally the ONLY EMPLOYEE in the whole place other than 2 owners who are there sometimes. He was totally defeated, and I know he feels stuck. My heart broke for him.
Last week, he came down off a shelf in the warehouse and hurt his already weak knee. He's been mostly immobile since, and I will likely be having to help him and pick up the household slack with our 3 young boys while he heals for the next few months (assuming we avoid another surgery like he's had in the past). I had to force him to stay home on Friday because he felt like he had to be there, and he's back into work today with a brace on both knees using a cane to move around. He's supposed to go to the fracture clinic on Wednesday. And then he sends me a picture this morning of a truck he's expected to unload by himself. THEY GET DISCOUNTED LABOUR AND I GET A BROKEN HUSBAND, FUCK THEM SO MUCH.
Not to mention, this business is owned by extended family. They are family and they are killing my husband because they won't hire anyone else. I AM SO ANGRY. And he's still hesitant to submit the workers injury form because they are family.
Thank you for listening to my rant, I feel like crying in the bathtub. 🙁