This may be long but I really needed a place to rant about this. It's the biggest bunch of capitalistic greedy business owner bullshit I've heard in a while and it's even more shitty (to me) because it happened to my dad.
For ease of story telling, my dad will be know as Dad (40s) and his boss will be known as Asshat (50ish M).
My dad has been working in the automotive industry for over twenty years at this point. He worked his way up from a basic mechanic to senior tech to running the front of the business and talking to customers. He had been at his most recent job for about 5 years or so at the time he got fired. (Dad had only been at two other places, he's not one to job hop).
Anyway, he was hired at this most recent place by the owner (Asshat) when the owner first bought the business. Now my father was well known by this point in the auto industry in our rural area, so dad brought a lot of loyal customers with him. He was originally hired as a store manager with some benefits similar to a partner. I don't know all the details to be honest, but basically, my dad ran the store.
Asshat didn't know the first thing of owning an auto shop. He knew business but knew jack shit about cars. My dad helped him build almost from the ground up this shop.
This went fine for a few years. My dad ran the shop well, but eventually Asshat started getting shit ideas. Like hiring his own family and agreeing to work on vehicles the shop wasn't equipped to handle (we are talking a 4 bay shop here, not a giant place). My dad gives Asshat his opinions, but at the end of the day Asshat is the owner and mostly treats my dad good… so dad stays.
In early 2022, Asshat takes my dad out of town for a training. While there, he makes a deal with my father in front of the training person. If my dad makes X million dollars in profits by the end of the year, Asshat will buy him what he wants.
All my dad wants is a truck. Not a brand new one either. Just a decent truck.
They agree and dad gets to work. He manages to hit X million halfway through November and they end the year with about 250K more.
Now, during this time Asshat gets another bright idea. He decides he's gonna raise prices. Like, a car part that costs the store $5 at cost will now be upcharged to $40 to the costumers. My dad finds it absolutely insane.
Dad talks to Asshat multiple times about how people will eventually figure it out and stop coming to the business because it's a fucking scam. Eventually, dad starts editing the shop tickets because he thinks what Asshat is charging is ridiculous.
Asshat finds out of course and tells dad that he sets the profits for a reason. Dad doesn't back down.
At the Christmas party this year, Asshat makes a point to say they'll make sure to hit X+1 million dollars next year.
Right before Christmas (but after the party), Asshat invites my dad out to breakfast. Asshat drives the truck my dad wanted there, so dad thinks he's finally being given his end of the deal.
Asshat is already seated when dad comes in and has a scowl on his face. Dad sits down and Asshat says “After this breakfast we're parting ways”.
Apparently, he got the truck in November right after they hit the goal profit. But he told my dad that he “didn't see a point in giving it to him because of parting ways”. But he just had to drive it to the breakfast to show that he “kept” his end of the deal by buying it.
My dad scarfed down his breakfast and stood to pay and leave and Asshat told him that he'd cover breakfast.
Dad said I can cover my own damn breakfast, threw down money, and walked right out.
Dad just told me today and I'm so angry on his behalf. My dad is a good man, not perfect but he tries to treat people right. And this asshat decided to be greedy, and my dad doesn't do greedy.
He got one month of severance for agreeing not to bad mouth the company. I'm not gonna dox the company or anything and I may delete if this gets too big. I don't want him in any trouble, I just wanted to vent to people who would understand.