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Suspended Market Basket CEO Arthur T. Demoulas says that while he has agreed to mediation with the grocery store chain’s board of directors, a two-week delay in making arrangements served to “silence the associates” who want senior managers back to work.
Demoulas spokesperson Justine Griffin confirmed in an email Tuesday that “the parties have agreed to put the issues between them to a mediator on Sept. 3 in hopes of avoiding litigation and reaching a quicker and amicable resolution that is in the best interest of Market Basket’s associates, customers and the communities it serves.” Griffin noted, however, discussions about possible mediation date back more than two weeks.
“And that fact alone illustrates how irresponsible Directors Jay Hachigian, Steven Collins and Michael Keyes were early last week, when they fired Joe Schmidt and Tom Gordon and then promoted a series of employees to take their places. This was all done in a clear attempt to get out ahead of the mediation process in an effort to further silence the associates within the company who are demanding the return of the senior management team,” Griffin wrote.
The latest Demoulas family drama came May 28 when, in a press release, the Executive Committee of the Market Basket Board of Directors said it is investigating the CEO’s conduct.
“The investigation will include a review of credible allegations that Mr. Demoulas began to plan a disruption of the business and operations of Market Basket with a work stoppage. The executive committee believes that Mr. Demoulas and others have taken these steps as improper retaliation for the board’s directives requiring the CEO to work with the board regarding the most basic corporate oversight and to provide the board access to key employees,” the statement read.