Grocery workers rally for millionaire CEO, who was ousted by his cousin and rival in June. This really surprising story filled with family intrigue, became an international sensation. It comes courtesy of the DeMoulas Market Basket (Market Basket), a chain of supermarkets located in states like Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.
Grocery workers usually go after their CEOs, but not the ones at Market Basket in New England who are defending a fired chief executive as if he was one of them. The workers are protesting and backing their old boss because he was simply good to them.
The protest started slowly at the end of June after Arthur T. Demoulas also known as Artie T. and some members of his team were outed, on a push by his longtime rival and cousin Arthur S. Demoulas. The firing was the culminating point of a year-long battle between the two relatives.
Arthur T. was replaced by two outsiders, a move that made workers even angrier. What is interesting in all of this, is the fact that the workers have managed to convince customers to join them in their protest. This means less business for the supermarkets, that have very little activity right now.
On Tuesday, a demonstration took place in Tewksbury, Massachusetts where workers and customers got together to say “Bring him back!”
This was the fifth rally since Arthur T. was removed from his position. According to protesters, 10,000 people were present at the demonstration. A lot of Market Basket customers who were there say that they will continue to boycott the company until the fired CEO gets his job back.
At this point it is clear that Arthur T. will not be able to get his old job with the current board of directors. The only viable solution would be for him to convince Arthur S. and his cousins to sell him Market Basket.
The board has stated that Arthur T. did offer to buy 50.5 percent shares of the company, but they have not accepted as yet since they are other offers on the table.
James Gooch and Felicia Thornton who were hired to run the company, have started to look for new employees in case all of this is not resolved rapidly. Gooch and Thornton say some workers would like to get back to work but feel intimidated not to do so by others.
Some people in the Demoulas family say that the conflict between the two cousins, is a matter that should be resolved privately.
They believe that the workers are not helping the brand by making the fight so public.
