The unrest at Stateside Savings Bank begins when a group of women staff members are invited to join the egocentric president to celebrate Secretaries' Day 1989. When the boss ditches the party early, they conclude that something has to be done about the inequalities that bubble up throughout the bank. The women, eyeing their position right next to the customers, form The Alices Committee (in respect of Alice Doesn't Day) to wage a proxy fight, gain control of the Board of Directors, and make some changes to their workplace. What needs changing? Men hold the senior positions; the Board is composed of men only; the few women who have penetrated upper management are not paid as much as their male peers; the insensitive bank president (called The Bleeper behind his back) expects the women to wait on him, as well as obey his excessive rules. Stories abound of the fates of those who crossed "The Boss" or failed to follow his rules. During the months prior to the annual shareholders' meeting, the women find themselves taking control, not only of bank procedure, but of what's missing in their own lives. Jessica, a widow and single mom, is in love with two men; Donna lives close to power, but has hesitated to accept her own control; Sheila, longtime friend of The Boss finds herself facing early retirement; Judy hides an abusive marriage behind her belief that knowledge is power; Winnie flaunts her good looks, believing that a woman's wiles are power; Terri has the business acumen to climb ladders, but hesitates to move up. None of them notices that their luncheon date falls exactly 225 years after Thomas Jefferson wrote his quotable message about a little rebellion now and then being a good thing.