Hi all, I have been a lurker of anti work for about two years now.
This incident happened around 2 and a half months ago.
Quick background on me: I am an audio visual engineer who came from high end work in a large city to a smaller town to work for a less than desirable company after having surgery on my heart. The slow pace town was a fantastic way to recover while still working.
The shop was run by someone who was the perfect 90s businessman but didn't have much of an idea about the actual work involved in audio visual, which was fine. that was our job.
During the rona virus pandemic, we were looking at moving and found the perfect spot.
Something weird was going on and I look at my co worker and we both thought something was fishy. we were basically leaving the building we were at and the boss came up with these two reasons:
We do not have a lease
We can't afford rent
The land lord never signed the lease
Yes, “we do not have a lease and the landlord never signed the lease” contradict eachother.
Anyway, we thought it would come to bite us back on the ass someday and it did.
The boss was having phone arguments all morning with someone (not unusual, this happens from time to time when he pisses someone off) But the strange thing is he always chats with me about it. I have known him my whole life and he has always been pretty open about things happening in his life.
He was a good balance of a friend and a boss but always prioritised being a boss (of course)
Basically, he had multiple phone calls, got very worked up, went to talk to us once hanging up but instead ran out to his car (a $120,000+ car mind you) ran in to a bush, then almost hit a passing car leaving the drive way.
I was like…uhh what the hell.. Literally 2 minutes later, a ute rocks up in the driveway coming in hot and spicy, a man gets out of the ute and comes in to the shop front demanding to see my boss.
He was shouting, pointing at me and verbally abusing me. Telling me he was going to kick my bosses head in. He told me that he told my boss he was on his way to see him and to stay there.
I cover for my boss because I'm a nice guy – I'm trying to diffuse the situation so no one gets hurt.
The man specifically tells me “I told your boss I was on the way to see him. Did he not tell you?” I told him “if he did tell me, I wouldn't be here right now.”
As I rang my boss to tell him what was happening, I didn't even get the chance to tell him what was happening, he answered the phone and the first thing he said was “call the police I don't want to deal with it” so he knew exactly what was going on.
Time passed, this guy tried to involve me but i was trying to stay out of it. I asked him nicely to stay outside and wait for the police to come. The police came and he went on his way and I heard nothing from the police at all.
As my boss came back to the shop, he opened all the doors (we locked up once everyone left) and he was laughing. Patted me on the back and saying “you were the man for the job. thanks for having my back.”
I replied with… I shouldn't of had to be the man for the job…wtf was that.
A female coworker said “boss, I am scared” he said, “Don't be scared, these guys usually pull out a gun.” Great support for your staff.
I said to him “tell me the truth. Did you know he was coming?” Boss said he had no idea. I then went to ask him then why did you tell me to call the police when I rang you before I told you what was going on? Why did you run your car in to the bush before leaving?
He also never leaves without telling me he is going somewhere.
So, he lied about knowing what was happening. I understand fight or flight but he left me, a female worker and an underage work experience child alone to deal with that.
I was advised this guy just got out of prison so probably noticed there was some money missing, but to add insult to injury the rent was sent to his brother WHO CAME WITH HIM to collect this money and he said nothing at all. So this whole time he's here backing up his brother to find his money while he had it all along.
The boss brushed it off like it wasn't important and it was more funny and more of a rush and didn't listen to any of our concerns or offer where to find support for what happened. I'm shaking reliving this as I type it.
So I downloaded all the camera footage, took all my shit, wrote a big message about how he is a coward in the group chat ( I have also had other attacks and issues working for him before) and that I can't work for someone who doesn't take care of his staff and posted the video of him leaving us behind to deal with a maniac. I said don't call me, don't contact me don't even think about me.
Mind you, I had quit my job 3 weeks prior to this, still working full time to train someone to take my place after we had a falling out of him not allowing me to do my side business. He believed that “he pays my rent, he paid for me to setup his side business” and didn't agree when I told him that we already had a fair trade… I worked, he gave me money and that was the end of the transaction.
I could go on and on and on about shit that's happened with this guy in the past but this post is already way too long.
Life has been the best since quitting, I'm living on less money freelancing and focusing on myself and my business.
Mind you, I'm known in the industry and I have been getting phone calls and mentions from people I don't even know about what happened. Word gets around quick. The boss has been avoiding telling people what happened.
TLDR:
Boss didn't pay rent, left warehouse too early, angry landlord came to kick his head in and we (the staff) were left behind to deal with a maniac. Boss dismissed our concerns and I quit cold turkey,