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“But the options are the main tool we have to attract people,” Paul complained.
“I’m just telling you what they’ve done,” Larry replied.
“They also have a history of advocating for significant staff reductions as a way of boosting profitability,” I added. I’d researched this pattern in several of their recent attacks on other companies.
“That’s a fancy way of saying layoffs,” Dennis said.
The group grew sullen. Layoffs was the last thing they wanted to hear.
“What are we going to do to fight back?” the young IT guy asked.
Dennis smiled. This was obviously the question he’d waited for. “We’re going to fight them aggressively on two fronts. First…” He looked around the room. “You and your employees own eighteen percent of the company and have a significant say in how this plays out. HR will distribute talking points to you laying out our position, as well as the facts of what happened to the employees at Cartwright’s last two targets. This should help you convince your people that the Cartwright Group is not the benevolent force for good they claim to be. If the majority of our employees vote with us, that will be a significant help. The other thing we’ll be doing is visiting a few of our major shareholders to shore up their support.”
“But what if that’s not enough?” a woman asked.
“Then I’ll be out of a job,” Dennis answered. “And you’ll be on your own in dealing with them.”
The looks of horror on the faces around the room were clear. They didn’t want Dennis leaving. After answering a smattering of other questions, he called an end to the meeting.
After the managers filed out, I followed Paul, Syd, Larry, and Fisher into Dennis’s office.
Syd was the first to speak. “We need to be careful what we say to employees, or we could get in serious trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
Dennis leaned against his desk. “Larry, you and Paul work up the most persuasive literature you can, but run it by Syd before we put it out.”
Paul nodded.
“It has to be factual,” Syd said. “It can’t be your normal marketing bullshit.”
“I know that,” Larry shot back. “And it’s not marketing bullshit. It’s persuasion material.”
“I don’t care what we call it,” Dennis said firmly. “Larry, it needs to be persuasive. And, Syd, it needs to not get us in trouble with the SEC. But I don’t want to shy away from anything. We need to snuggle up close to the line, just not go over it.”
Syd sighed, likely not happy about being pushed out of his comfort zone. He looked over at our HR guy again. “Paul, I also don’t want it just sent around. You need to see that all our managers and supervisors are trained on it. When we’re done, no employee in his right mind should even consider voting with those Cartwright assholes.”
Dennis shifted his focus to Fisher. “Jay, you need to make a list today of major shareholders we should meet with. You, me, and Jennifer are going on a road trip to shore up their support.”
Fisher nodded.
I raised my hand. “I have a suggestion.” I felt stupid for putting my hand up as if I were still in school.
Dennis looked at me expectantly.
“I think we might contact some others who have had dealings with Cartwright and ask them to go along and support our position.”
“Who did you have in mind?” Fisher asked.
“Hugh Stoner. He had a nasty encounter with them a few years ago. I think he’d be on our side.”
Dennis nodded. “He’s been friends with Dad forever. We can probably get him to help.”
“Talbot is also not fond of Cartwright,” Fisher said.
I didn’t think that would fly. “I’m not sure they’d be receptive.”
Dennis smiled. “Jennifer, you and Jay go talk to them. Old man Talbot likes you.”
I shrugged. An assignment was an assignment, even if I disagreed with his assessment.
