[Christ]

Your dad's boss was a fish poop?

Carlos - Unfortunately, that happens all too often. People are replaced because they're expendable, and once you've got someone in your back pocket, you button that piece down tight so they can't get out.

I've been in a few positions where my work was appreciated, though. Often, those same companies are mom & pop operations that usually can't afford to pay much, but have "other" benefits, often including personal use of equipment, etc.

For instance - A company I worked for a few years ago could only afford to pay me $10.00 per hour for what equated to first-step and prototype engineering work... and me oh my, I don't have a degree... because I didn't have a piece of paper that said I knew the same amount of information as the "real" engineers about the job I was doing (more, in most cases), I wasn't allowed to make "the big bucks" like they did. (I was short almost $23/hour for the same work they were doing.) My boss saw this conundrum and helped me make the best of it. As I worked nights, there were never bosses around, not even mine, so as long as my work was done, and I didn't piss off my team leader (who didn't speak english) I had free run of my area. Tools, Machines, Parts, Equipment, etc. Do what you will. I also had unlimited access to overtime when I needed it, open ended. Also, I could (within reason) set my own schedule, so that if I needed to come a few minutes late, my boss would "fix" my time records for me. If I came in an hour late, I worked an hour over, simple as that.

That is a prime example of appreciation for the work I did. I had "benefits" that others could not have gotten, and in most cases, did not deserve.