I wonder if this problem could be avoided if the early technical founder insisted on having the same class of stock as the founders. IANAL but in my (limited) experience these games are easier to play when the founders (or often the C-suite people) have a different class of stock then key employees. Or that's how I have seen the game played where one employee can have a liquidity event and another doesn't, or the dilution is unequal.

I am no expert! Can someone explain to me if having the same class of stock as the founders is a meaningful protection?