TOXIC WORKPLACE / TOXIC BOSSES

I work at a large university in California as a facilities administrator and the Director and Associate Vice President of our department are two greedy, abusive, control addicted, sociopaths. I am ALWAYS looking for a way out of here, BUT, I have a disabled wife and a son in college. It is not easy give up a position I have had for 11 years at a university I at which I have worked for over 20 years.
It might seem odd to hear that two greedy, financially ambitious men work for a non-profit agency like a public university - it sure seems odd to me. I would think that private industry would be more suitable to their personalities and their agendas. But these two guys have worked together to create a joint fiefdom over the last 15 years.
The current Associate VP started out as the Manager of Plant Operations 17 years ago. Via a process of departmental "reorganization” he steadily CREATED a series of ever higher paying positions over the years: "Associate Director of Plant Operations,” "Facilities Director," and finally, "Associate Vice President of Facilities & Service Enterprises." All the while his duties and responsibilities remained EXACTLY the SAME. In fact the number of staff for whom he was responsible was reduced by his practice of frequently NOT refilling positions when folks retired. He went from $65K per year to $130k + per year.
He was aided in his "climb" to the top of this imaginary administrative ladder, by another individual who started out as the Grounds Superintentent 15 years ago.This guy’s job title has also changed: “Grounds Manager,” “Associate Director of Grounds,” finally, “Director of Landscape & Grounds.” Again, his job has not changed one whit over the years, just the title and the pay - from $43k to $98k per year. In those years the grounds staff has shrunk by 60%; and has gone from including two heavy equipment operators, an Irrigation Specialist, a Integrated Pest Management Specialist, Grounds Workers, Gardeners and Lead Grounds workers, to consist now of simply of 5 Lead Grounds Workers and various student assistants.
So, why am I whining about these guys who have just taken advantage of the American Dream of finding a government niche to use and abuse. Because they have done it on my back and the backs of my co-workers. And oh yeah the success of their ambition has been at the expence of the California taxpayers.
Finally, these two guys are notorious for having lied to, mislead and manipulated everyone around them, all under the protection of the university president because they keep facilities' maintenance cost down. As a result, the building's are falling apart and over the last 4 - 5 years longtime staff have been DYING as a result of a high rate of cancer (including Asbestiosis) and heart disease. It's criminal. Literally.
This is a public university we 're talkin' about here. Lots of regulatory oversite in place. Including CAL-OSHA, the EPA, three different unions and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
It has done NO GOOD. These guys are protected by a university president and system chancellor who approve of their actions, and let them get away with MURDER as long as they continue to save the university MONEY.There have been numerous union grievances, lawsuits and even charges of extortion filed that have gone NOWHERE.
Most recently the Associate VP's wife divorced him (very noisily) because of a longtime affair he had been carrying on with one of the women on his office staff - an elicit affair with his direct subordinate that EVERYBODY in our department had suspected for over 10 years!
When it all came out, he was asked by his boss (the unit Vice President) if there were anything to the rumors. The Associate VP simply denied it and that was IT. NO MORE QUESTIONS ASKED! Within 6 weeks of that conversation the woman with whom the Associate VP had been having the affair received a BIG (well over 20%) raise and was "reorganized" into a very cushy job for which she is completely unqualified.
All this is to say that these guys are protected. As long as the university president has their back, they will continue to use and abuse their staff to further their own personal professional agendas. My only hope is to keep trying to find new job and hope things are better someplace else.