Photo: Customer receipts from other stores and a “Save Artie T” poster hang at Market Basket, Westgate Center (Nathan E. Webster III photo).
The group of Market Basket supermarket workers protesting the past two weeks for the reinstatement of ousted CEO Arthur T. Demoulas are reacting with caution to reports that he would be willing to come back with his management team while negotiations continue over a buyout offer. The group known as “Save Market Basket” says, “This is huge, that ATD is willing to take a chance of putting the company back on track without a guarantee or a deal in place”.
Meanwhile, the group also claims none of the associates who have been out of work since the protests began have returned to work today despite warnings from the current management they risk being replaced if they do not report to work by today’s deadline.
“Save Market Basket” also maintains that they will remain in protest and boycott mode until they hear an official word on the negotiations. “We also know that he can’t wait to get back to work as we can’t wait but we will not be going back until he is back in charge”.
“Save Market Basket” is also dismissing the company’s scheduled Job Fair at its IT computer center in Andover as, “a joke”. They say, “no self respecting current MB associate is going to go to the fair and try to take another associate’s position.” Monday and Tuesday sessions of the job fair are set aside for current employees seeking promotion from within, while a Wednesday job fair session will be open to the public.