Boss fucked me over.

This has been pissing me off for a few days, and I thought I'd rant.

I got into work on Thursday. I'm the Leadman. I told them when I took the job, that I would have authority to write up and dismiss employees. They agreed.

One of the workers needed to be informed of a leak on a truck he had built. I told him. First - let me explain to everyone that there is a bit of a "language barrier" with this particular employee. At least, it's one that he likes to exploit whenever something goes wrong with one of his trucks.

I tell him there's a leak.

"NOT MY PROBLEM," was his response. "YOU FIX."

"You built it, you have to fix your own mistakes."

He gave me his best 'fuck you' look, and turned and walked away.

I told the foreman, and let him know what was happening. I have known the foreman for 16 years. He was the best man at my wedding. We have always had an excellent working relationship. I told him I wanted to give the employee a verbal warning about his attitude, and he agreed.

I calmed down first (as per the foreman's instructions), and when I tried to explain that his attitude was the reason he was being written up, he continued to act as if it was his work. He told me, "I do good work. You always look for problems. You leave me alone." I informed him that I was his boss, and if he understood that.

His response: "You don't talk to me. You understand THAT?" Then he walked away AGAIN.

I was furious. His verbal warning had now progressed into a written warning. I walked into the shop foreman's office, and the foreman followed me. ALL THREE OF US (the shop foreman, my foreman, and myself) agreed to write the employee up. Which I did.

After lunch, after waiting yet again to calm down (again per my foreman's instructions), I called the employee aside (along with the foreman) and let him know that the problem was not with his work - it was his attitude. Again, the employee kept trying to blame the problem on faulty materials, insisting it wasn't his problem. The foreman told the employee that he was a "good worker, and did great work". The foreman then turned to me, expecting me to back him up. I tried to inform the employee that it was his attitude that was causing a problem. The employee said that I was always nitpicking, trying to find problems with his work.

The foreman said, "That's enough," and was willing to let the employee slide. I turned to the foreman to hand him the write up on the employee, and he said "No, don't worry about it." He just made it clear to the employee that he can do whatever the fuck he wants, and I have no authority to stop him.

I grabbed my stuff, and stormed out, to the sounds of "Don't be like that," from my foreman.

Come Tuesday, we are getting a translator in to resolve the problems with this employee (the foreman from the other division has also let it be known that he's had problems with this guy).

I don't know if I'm more angry with the situation with the employee, or with my foreman's betrayal. The Christmas before last, when the new secretary asked the foreman who his backup was, he, his wife, and my wife all pointed to me. They all know that I'm the only one who knows enough about this business to make the right decisions. Having him refuse to back me up feels like he stabbed me in the back.