I really appreciate all the support and input on this. Thanks to all!

Just to clarify a bit, this all started when the owner decided to take on another product line of equipment. The salesman he hired as well as the new tech had previous experience with this equipment, so I understand why he would want to bring them on board. I have no problem with that. But he went waaay above the prevailing pay scale to make it happen, with no apparent plan to "balance" the pay for anyone else.

I'd rather not say exactly how I found out about the pay situation, but it started with rumors before the guy was actually hired and I managed to verify it through an "inside source". I know that this source isn't "yanking my chain" because they definitely have something to lose if I leave.
I'm sure that, at some point, there will be a discussion with the "big dog" about this, but based on years of past experiences dealing with this guy I don't hold out much hope for an amicable conclusion. He's one of those "I'm always right" kind of owners, and has never really listened to my input in the past. Even when circumstances later proved me right. He also has a history of telling you what he thinks you want to hear to get you off his back, then never lifts a finger to follow through on his promises.

I intend to remain level-headed about the deal, keeping eyes and ears open. I don't want to burn any bridges, but I can see that leaving the business may be my only recourse. Time will tell...

 

A lot of times an employer knows all of your faults and over look your assets until they are not there any more. Most of the time, all he knows about the new guy is his resume / application and interview information ( provided by him). Most previous employers will not give a negative response to an employment verification. So all looks rosy from your bosses seat (it may well be, but time will tell). This is why a lot people change employers for a promotion.
As far as your boss seeming to have an issue with you, maybe it is because you intimidate him with your knowledge and experience.
You might consider demoting yourself from acting service manager, especially if you are not being compensated for the job (unless there are some perks worth keeping).
Look at the advantages you have and what you would loose if you left.
Keep in mind a new company may offer you a benefit package that will more than replace what you currently have. If you do choose to leave, take your time and find what you want, if it is not better than what you have, why leave.
I'm not recommending any course of action, just sharing some thoughts.

Good luck.

 

Look at your options, line up all the leads you can find, call in favors, and then have a talk with boss-man. Be his friend and advise him that while you would never rat out that sweet deal the other guys made, if you found out about, others everntually will as well. Perhaps it would be in his best interst to re-align wage and benefit packages before this knowledge became wide-spread in order to ward off the crapsttorm that would surely follow. Not saying to make it out like blackmail, just friendly advice. If that falls on deaf ears, by all means take a job elsewhere. You deserve to work in an evironment where you are valued and trusted. To that end, you must keep his secret in order to avoid burning bridges; that is unless his rep is well-known among his peers.

 

Here is something that once worked for me. I used and excuse, (ailing parent on death's door, wasn't true, it was a tactic,) to take off for six weeks. I knew there was nobody on staff that could do what I did. After I got back there were quite a few issues in the dept that had to get sorted out. Once everything was normalized, I got a conference and laid out my requirements but not on an 'or else' basis. Having had the problems that resulted from my absence, they gave me most of what I asked for. (I didn't really expect everything from a tough businessman.)

 

Bit of an update:

I had a brief chat with our store's General Manager (he was already aware that I knew of the "pay scale scandal"), and he asked me to "not stir the pot" until after the first of the year. His reasoning is that he feels we had a good year in '06 and when the numbers are tallied for the year the big boss may be more apt to give out some raises. Since I was pretty much planning on that anyway (want to get that 80 hours of vacation pay they'll owe me then...) I agreed to try to keep it under my hat.

Frankly, based on past history, if any raises do come at that time I would be surprised to see anything more than maybe 50-cents. Nothing near what the new hire is getting, and that just isn't going to do it.

Then, later this afternoon the owner stops by the store to update the computers. I was a good boy and kept my mouth shut, just continued doing my job. A bit later my other tech comes to me (he's been with us about two years now...) and tells me that the owner had taken him aside and commended him on his "interest" in the new product line, on the fact that he had set up a few of the new units, and praised him for being signed up for the factory service school on these units.

If that don't take the freakin' cake!! I had him set up those units, and I signed him up for that school before we even knew we were getting the new tech. What did the owner have to say to me? Aside from his usual rhetorical and totally insincere greeting, he said "I need to shut your computer down to do the update". End of conversation and I didn't even put my wrench down. I guess I should be happy he didn't rip my **** for some petty little thing. But don't that just figure. Busting my butt for this place all these years and it seems all I get is grief from this man, but my tech gets praised just because he's doing what I told him to!

Sorry if I sound a bit frustrated, but quite frankly...I am!!

Anybody know a well-to-do car collector that needs someone to maintain his fleet of classics??? LOL (oops....must've slipped into dreamland for a second there...)

 

Been there done that with the "well to do car collector." Sounds a lot better than it is. But then, car collectors are not all alike either.