I understand your point about taking issues to the top... But I personally would err on the side of caution & take each issue to several less senior folk. He's unlikely to even know about most of the things we're unhappy about. But he certainly has the power to intervene in a negative way if they're brought to his attention. I just don't think his track-record warrants any assumption that he'd intervene in a helpful way. Call me a conspiracy theorist maybe I am, but I also think it's a kind of 'risk aversion'.