A group of protesting Market Basket supermarket workers is speaking out about reports part-time store employees are now having their work hours cut to as little as zero even as the company holds job fairs.
The group known as “Save Market Basket” is referring to a directive from current company leadership for store managers to schedule staff levels to serve the current customer base.
“We have heard from several sources that with sales down 90 percent, no part time help will be scheduled for next week. We strongly encourage all who may be affected by this to contact their state’s unemployment agencies and attorneys general offices,” the group said.
“Save Market Basket” is also blasting the current company leadership for the move while holding a job fair, and for creating what it describes as a “train wreck.” “The board of directors has a fiduciary responsibility to the health of the company. The company is sick and near death. A remedy came to them that would cure things and they turned it away. This is gross negligence of the highest order,” the group said on Facebook. The “remedy” the group refers to is the offer by ousted CEO Arthur T. Demoulas to return to work while leaders consider his offer to purchase the 50.5 percent share of the supermarket chain held by his rival relatives. Reports on Thursday say the company is also considering offers from at least one other supermarket chain to acquire at least that share of the business.