Market Basket employees show support for ousted CEO

http://www.wcvb.com/news/market-basket-employees-show-support-for-ousted-ceo/27047524#!bjRgdN

By Chris Bergeron
July 20, 2014

ASHLAND, Mass. —The face of ousted chief executive Arthur T. Demoulas smiled from a poster taped to the entrance of the Market Basket supermarket in Ashland as employees protest new management they say cares more for "shareholders' profits'' than customers and staff.

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He said he believed employee protests had closed the company's headquarters and a warehouse in Tewksbury and another warehouse in Andover that could affect foodstuffs reaching local stores.

Angelari said the chain's more than 20,000 employees want "Arthur T.'' returned to his leadership position and believe the new board of directors is more concerned with "putting profits into shareholders' pockets'' than customers' and employees' welfare.

A 26-year Demoulas employee who began working for the chain as a teenager, Angelari said the vast majority of employees "want Arthur T. back with full control.''

The Methuen resident repeatedly spoke respectfully of "Arthur T." as a "fine man and great boss'' who for years "treated customers and employees fairly.''

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Angelari said Market Basket had strong growth during "Arthur T's'' tenure and pointed to a poster in the store, offering customers 4 percent discounts as proof of his commitment to keep prices down.

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/07/20/market-basket-warehouse-supervisor-fired-according-protest-organizer/GP6CcpuPSvUwglQTXfw6XL/story.html

Market Basket fires 8 employees amid protests

By Erin Ailworth and Dan Adams
July 20, 2014

At least eight Market Basket employees were fired Sunday, including organizers of a protest that has targeted the grocery chain in recent days by workers pressing for the return of ousted president Arthur T. Demoulas.

Seven of those fired received a letter that arrived by courier, according to the employees or their colleagues. In some cases, a delivery person waited curbside for workers to return home from weekend activities to deliver packages with termination letters inside, along with no-trespassing orders and advice on how to apply for unemployment benefits.

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The firings are the latest development in a remarkable public dispute over leadership of the grocery chain, which has 71 stores in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. On Friday, about 2,000 people gathered at the chain’s headquarters in Tewksbury to support the ousted president.

Workers are demanding the return of Arthur T. Demoulas, who was fired in late June by a board controlled by his cousin and chief rival, Arthur S. Demoulas. For decades, the two have feuded over control of the company, which was started by their grandfather.

Among those fired were Tom Gordon, a grocery supervisor with 39 years at the chain; buyers Jim Lacourse, with 30 years, and Joe Garon, with 49 years; Steve Paulenka, a facilities and operations supervisor, with 40 years; and deli supervisor and buyer Mike Kettenbach, the 33-year-old nephew of Arthur T. Demoulas.

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More than 6,300 people have signed a petition asking Market Basket to reinstate Arthur T. Demoulas, and elected officials have begun to weigh in on the feud. By Sunday evening, 29 politicians had pledged to support a boycott of Market Basket.

“It’s been an incredible response,” said state Senator Barry R. Finegold, an Andover Democrat, who began circulating the petition among legislators Saturday afternoon. “We haven’t really had anybody who’s said no so far.”

Most of the participating officials have stores in their districts, Finegold said.

He said many low-income residents of urban areas where the company has stores rely on its low prices. “So many people in these cities are living paycheck to paycheck, and if they can find fresh produce and lower price groceries, it makes a huge difference,” Finegold said.

Attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley released a statement Sunday calling protesting employees’ actions “inspiring.”

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