[the_fonz]

Regardless of acquisition price point, this is almost always what happens when employees take these third-rate shares.

The solution is employees need to insist on the exact same class of shares as founders. Furthermore, more startup workplaces need to closer to co-ops than these pseudo-meritocratic corporations out to exploit labor with impunity. Maybe it wouldn't have helped in this instance, but that's not the point... the point is being treated fairly regardless of exit outcome.