Strap in, this is a long one.
I am a gardener and qualified garden designer.
I work for another gardener and garden designer, I started with them 3years ago, they were great, good pay, really helpful and they taught me alot. I decided I wanted to study design and they moved work around for me. Then when I graduated everything seemed to change.
I found out they were paying everyone else more than me. Considerably more. I brought this up and they agreed to pay me the same as my work is of the same standard if not better.
Then they said the client who I work for wanted to cut hours, my hours at this property had recently increased so I understood that it was my hours that would take the hit. Except when I dug into it, the overall hours hadn't decreased just mine. Again I questioned this and they have their reasons and I felt that it was ok, not great but it was ok.
My boss is designing a garden for this client and it is an unbelievable opportunity, there is a huge budget to do something truly amazingz it could be a career defining piece of work.
In the 3years I have worked for this client I've gotten pretty close with them. Recently they divulged that they aren't happy with the design service my boss is providing and insinuated that they would be interested in having me as their designer instead.
I tried to approach my boss and say “hey, the client isn't happy. Why don't you bring me on board and I'll handle the client and the design legwork. You provide oversight and together we can make it work for everyone. Me, you and the client.” My boss said no.
I decided to let it be, I didn't feel comfortable muscling in and taking this work off of them and I felt that they might just fuck it up anyway so the work might just fall into my lap.
Since then my boss has pissed me off again, saying I'm irresponsible and that I caused damage to a machine by using it badly (not true) and that the client might ban me from site if I carry on. I called him out on the vaugly threatening tone and since then he has blanked me.
So, if you're still with me (this rant was cathartic) what should I do now? Should I press the client and try to get the life changing design project ? Should I just leave ? Should I press my boss more ? I used to love work and now I hate it