now you have a new job, you should consider your previous workmates by sending your boss a link to the "what would you do?" thread, to maybe make him understand how his attitude and demands impact on his employee's.
ive worked in several places like what you describes, and beleive me im so glad im out of there. theyre horrible working conditions, that make you not want to wake up on a morning to go to work. they force you to not respect the people or place you work for. When I enjoy my job, and i feel they repect me as a person and employee, I work twice as hard and give them the best of me as opposed to someone who just treats me like theres nowhere else in the world i can find another job, and that job is the be all and end all, because so many people allow themselves to get stuck in a rut they think they can **** all over everyone and get away with it.