CHAPTER 1
The lunch had gone well right up to the time when Leslie's competitor and close friend started discussing "creative dismissal", a practice in vogue with Senior Management for getting rid of higher paid Branch Managers.
At that point Leslie lost his appetite. Brad, his lunch mate was only trying to forewarn him based on recent experiences his fellow Managers in the CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) had been put through.
It was a typical midweek lunch meeting between two Branch Managers of competing Financial Institutions on the one hand CIBC, a federally chartered Bank and on the other a provincially chartered Caisse Populaire which is basically a Credit Union with Members. Both companies compete for the same business and normally competitors don't associate with each other. But in this case, both Leslie and Brad had met long ago at Chamber of Commerce luncheon meetings. What had started out as casual conversation at the food counter had eventually became a friendship based on mutual respect.
On this particular day, they had met for lunch at a popular Eatery operated by none other than the Mayor of North Bay, Mr. Kevin Ghattas, one of Leslie's client's at the Caisse Populaire.
Mayor Ghattas came over to their table as soon as they arrived and said: "Well, well, the two worst Bank Managers in North Bay are gracing my humble restaurant."
I winked at my friend and said:" You know Kevin, us two guys are pretty popular in town. Pretty high profile. We're actually thinking one of us should challenge you in the next election for that prestigious Mayor's job of yours...."
We saw him lose his composure for a nanosecond and then we all started to laugh at the same time.
"You guys, go and eat and leave me alone.... Hahaha! ..."
After we sat down with our plates filled to overflowing, Brad all of a sudden got serious. He said: "I like you Les, but I think I want to bring you up to speed on some information I received recently. You're kind of on a roll right now aren't you?"
"Where are you going with this?" I said ...
"Well, we all know you can be a hero today and the asshole of the Bank tomorrow, right?"
I said: "Well, yes to a certain extent, but if you cover your ass and work hard and get the results, why worry?"
Brad said: "I've got a buddy down in Toronto, works in a Branch on University Avenue. Always got great results, for over twenty years. Last year, he had been in the Bank in one capacity or another for 24 years and he didn't quite make his targets in volume and profit for his last fiscal year. First time in those twenty years at that Branch."
He continued: "One morning he showed up for work a half hour late, he'd stopped at a client's business to get some paperwork signed. When he got to the Branch the Head Office suits were sitting in his office. He wasn't ready for the trip they laid on him. They have this down to a science these HR goons. They blindside you saying you are not performing up to our expectations or the Bank has decided in our restructuring phase now in progress that your Managerial Level is not required in this market or we are prepared to offer you a desk job in Vancouver Head Office in the Credit Department (the only position currently open with your background or training) or we can offer you this exit package."
"So he freaked. You can imagine the thoughts exploding in his brain at this point. You know? What about my 15 year old daughter in high school, getting ready for college? How do I explain this to my wife Eleanor, we never ever thought my job wasn't safe? How do I explain this to my parents, her parents, my Bank customers?
So they slide this piece of crap offer to buy him out for X dollars if he just leaves quietly. At first glance it appears generous, but it is far short of what he should really receive based on years of service, profitability he made for the Bank and its shareholders. But he's so freaked out he grabs the pen and signs it. At that point he was screwed. He could have negotiated at least double if not triple their original offer if he'd refused to sign their deal and got a decent Labour Relations Lawyer."
At this point I started to find I'd lost my appetite.
"Why are you telling me all this?" I said.
"Because, Leslie, I'm almost in exactly the same situation as my buddy. Doing great now for close to twenty years. But after his deal, I am going to keep copies of all my PA's off site at home or in my safety deposit box. I'm also going to keep notes of every conversation I have with these Head Office HR dickheads. I don't trust any one of them."
I said: "Well I don't know. Last month the Mayor wrote a letter to our Ontario Senior Vice-President and said to him don't ever transfer Swartman out of North Bay. We love this guy, we want him to be the Manager of that Caisse Populaire Branch until he's ready to retire.
The VP wrote him back and said the usual stuff, we are very pleased you are happy with our man on the job. Then he said we will keep him there into his Golden Years ... I can show you the memo, man."
"Doesn't mean dick-all" said Brad.
"What do you mean by that?"
"C'mon Les. These VP's come and go every couple of years. His promises or undertakings aren't grandfathered into his replacement!
Get a grip! If you can't see the benefit of what I'm saying, for God's sake at least start copying your PA's and letters like that from your VP and squirreling them off site. Anything that says you're doing a good job, stuff in the newspaper, your participation in the Chamber of Commerce, anything that is positive stuff."
"OK ,OK". I said. "Maybe you're right. A little covering your ass doesn't hurt even if you're on a roll considering your chum's story.
Maybe next year will be a flop, who knows?"
"Exactly man...."
We wrapped up our meeting and I went back to the Branch with the first time in a long time a really uneasy feeling in my gut. I would start to watch for the signs of "Creative Dismissal". This is when the Head office honchos paint a target on your back and decide to make your life miserable to the extent that you will quit and spare them the need to "package you off". I knew all about it. I had done it with non-performing employees myself. There were no Unions in the Bank so they couldn't complain to their shop steward and we had a graduated system to eliminate substandard performers.
Little did I know the events to unfold in the next decade or so that made my lunch with Brad from the CIBC the best one hour I ever spent with a "friendly competitor."
CHAPTER 2
Back in the Branch I was thinking a lot about the conversation I'd had and the fact that Unions were taboo in the Canadian Banking System. I recalled a conversation I had on this very subject with a buddy of mine in Ottawa that worked at a Branch of BMO (Bank of Montreal) in Ottawa: It went something like this:
"Marcel, has there ever been a branch try to Unionize in BMO?
Marcel said: "Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Down in the town of Bon Appetite, Quebec. "There was this Assistant Accountant in that Branch. He thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. Only he was only OK, not the big deal he thought he was. Anyway, he keeps getting passed over for the promotion to Accountant job. After a couple years he gets upset about his lack of promotions and started talking to a Union rep in town who puts the bug in his ear to get the Branch unionized. Next thing you know he's meeting all the clerical staff off-site and talking them into this Union thing. But the Branch Management aren't stupid. They know what's going on.
So the next Monday morning, when everyone showed up for work, there's the Regional Vice President and three HR people sitting in the Manager's office, having a coffee.
A staff meeting is called and the Branch Manager explains that Monsieur Guy Lafontaine, Regional Vice President would like to have a few words with the staff. The Meeting went something like this:
"Good Morning, Ladies and Gentleman. I have reviewed with interest the history of our Branch here in Bon Appetite, Quebec and we have served this community very well for over 75 years. We are confident that we have very good Management employees running our day to day operations and that our clerical staff are doing a satisfactory job. Unfortunately we have some very grave concerns about the recent developments that suggest that the non-management employees are considering unionizing the Branch.
Sorry, people. This is not going to happen. As of today, this Branch is closed down and all our business in this town will be transferred to the nearby Town of Sacre Mere de Couer. Your clients will either travel the 26 miles to our Branch in Sacre Mere de Couer or they will deal with the Caisse Populaire Desjardins or the Banque Royale in Jacquesville. All clerical employees are hereby terminated and you are required to clean out all your personal possessions from the Branch after this meeting and leave the premises. You will receive your ROE (Record of Employment) in the mail in a few days.
Please commence withdrawing your personal effects immediately as we have a Moving Van scheduled to arrive by 10:00 a.m. We are in the process of posting a sign on the front door: "BRANCH CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE".
If you have any questions: Messers. Gagne, Charron and Vigneault are hear to answer your questions from our Human Resources Department."
And so ended the unionizing of BMO, Bon Appetite, Quebec. Any other Branch in Quebec (or anywhere else for that matter) had an immediate taste of what was in store for them if they even considered unionizing anywhere.
On the other hand, the Banks, Trust Companies, Credit Unions and Caisse Populaires were providing salaries and benefits that were well in line with unionized companies. But they ruled their organizations with an iron fist.
No Unions!
That message loud and clear throughout the Industry.
In Canada, the Financial Services Industry exists to make a profit and to provide a good return on Investment to their shareholders.
So it is a tremendous balancing act keeping clients, employees and shareholders all happy or at least comfortable with their results year after year.
Canada has the strongest Banking system on the globe and I have always believed it was because the Unions haven't managed to get their grips into the Financial Services Industry.
CHAPTER 3
Meanwhile Back at the Branch
We over the course of around three years moved our reputation in the community from that "Farmers Bank" or "that French Bank" to "Favourite Banking Institution" in North Bay and "Favourite Bank Tellers" and "Favourite Investment Advisors" in the annual North Bay Nugget survey of client satisfaction of many types of Retail, Service, and Professional providers.
This particular year we received three certificates from the North Bay Nugget and they were not only proudly displayed in our Branch where all the clients could see, but also the Certificates were published in the Newspaper with all the other winners in the other categories.
Needless to say, this was a source of pride both for the staff, our clients and my Head Office superiors.
I had my Senior Assistant Manager who handled all the mortgages, personal loans and trained new Credit Trainees. She had been in the Branch at this point over 20 years and knew just about everybody in North Bay. She was as I used to call her: "my walking talking encyclopedia".
A few days after I took over the Branch I called her in to ask her about a client who was on the overdraft report that day. I said: "Allison what do you know about this guy Jacques Gagnon. He's overdrawn in his chequeing account today?"
She says: " Mr. Swartman, you don't have to worry about this guy. He's the salt of the earth. Works full time as a mechanic at North Bay Chrysler now for 15 years. His wife Ginette she's a part-time RNA at North Bay District Hospital. They got 3 kids all gems and live out at the east end in a nice bungalow worth about $75,000 which is free and clear. All I can figure is he must have wrote a cheque he forgot about or didn't mark it in his book. His pay deposit is on Friday and he gets about $500 + after deductions."
So I said: "Allison what do you not know about this guy?"
Allison replies: "Not much, I can tell you what he and Ginette drive to work in and the ages of their three kids. Anything else you need to know?"
"No Allison, you are simply amazing! Thanks!"
"No problem Boss."
"Allison don't call me Mr. Swartman and don't call me Boss. From now on just call me Leslie."
"OK Leslie."
This type of conversation would happen frequently as I was using Allison's knowledge of our clients to fast track my knowledge and provide quicker responses to requests by these new customers I was getting used to.
Her total knowledge of our client base was however like a double edged sword. One day, she and I were in the vault and we were looking up the collateral file on a particular Commercial Client's loans with the Branch. In walked Pierrette, a junior teller holding a Visa application in her hand. She asked Ginette:
"Ginette, is it OK to fill in a Visa application with Michel Picotte?"
Ginette replied in a booming tone of voice: "That little Christ'er is getting no Visa from me or anywhere else for that matter! He's been the black sheep of the Picotte family ever since he got out of diapers. If he's not in trouble with the law, he's giving his poor mom and dad ulcers over some other problem. Tell him his application is declined. Period!"
She also had the goods on every staff member in the Branch and if I allowed her to continue sharing her knowledge of everyone and everything, I could easily spend an entire day. But I learned soon to get the bare facts I needed and then end the conversation quickly as I didn't need everyone's life history and hear about every shred of their "dirty laundry".
When I first arrived, I realized that my Branch Accountant was a rising star in The Caisse. It seemed I was only there a few weeks when his Transfer/Promotion to the Ottawa "Flagship Branch" came through. I asked is there anybody in the Branch ready or capable to replace him. He replied not yet, they will send in the Accountant in Sturgeon Falls for a while. There has been a chain reaction resulting in multiple transfers both in Ottawa and Northern Ontario.
He then suggested I keep my eye on Jennifer O'Grady, the Assistant Accountant. She was very well organized, a perfectionist and good with the clients, but on the shy side and needs to be brought out of her shell. But with training and encouragement in time could be groomed into a first-class Branch Accountant.
I made a mental note of that and followed up on that in the weeks and months ahead.
CHAPTER 4
MEANWHILE BACK AT THE HOMESTEAD
We were getting little things done payday by payday on our Maison Quebecois (which is like a Cape Cod style home one and a half stories with dormer windows) on the lake behind Anne's parents. Up until I was elevated to a Level 65 Manager with the corresponding salary increase, we weren't in a big hurry to get a mortgage.
But we finally decided, let's take the equity out of what we've got in here now and finish this 100% and quit living with a sand basement with vapor barrier blocking off the dampness rising from there. Let's put exterior finish on the outside, We're getting tired of looking at "black joe". How about real stairs up to the front door instead of the mickey mouse job I had thrown together with 2" x 6" boards assembled in a very unlevel but sturdy manner.
Barb's cousin kept asking if we wanted him to get started at the brick exterior finish. It would require no maintenance, insulate us from extreme weather and last forever. Plus add a great deal of value to the place instead of vinyl or wood siding.
I applied for a staff mortgage and asked if they would lend me 75% of the appraised value over 25 years amortization at a preferred staff rate. My boss in Ottawa rubber stamped my request and we proceeded with the Appraisal on an "as-is" current value and "as completely finished" value.
