DEMOULAS-MARKET BASKET DEBACLE

Whatever your thoughts might be regarding the Market Basket fiasco, I am certainly willing to concede that you have a right to your opinion.  (Of course, this isn't your blog.)

That being said, I suppose full disclosure will force me to admit that I am a former employee of both DeMoulas and Market Basket, and that I have worked for them three or four times in two different locations.  My late husband was taken under their umbrella when he got hired at a local country club, one of the DeMoulas' holdings, after his long-time job was lost when his former employer's company was seized by the IRS.  I went to school with one of the DeMoulas kids and have attended a party at their home.  My youngest has played college lacrosse against
one of the DeMoulas clan.

If you've lived in the Merrimack Valley, there's a superior chance that you know, are related to, have worked for or know someone who has worked for the DeMoulas family in some capacity at some point in their career.  A couple of my siblings put in DeMoulas/Market Basket time, as well.

Here's what I will tell you:  The company does right by their employees, or did, at least, until June 23, 2014, when the continued hostile takeover ousted popular CEO Arthur T. DeMoulas.

I'm sure you've all heard about us up here in New England.  The fallout from this fight has made national and, in some cases, international news. 

This fight isn't about wages or raises or working conditions or stock options or profit sharing or benefits.  It can't be -- This is a non-union, privately owned, family business.  But, and this is a huge point, make no mistake: This IS Big Business.  This is a multi-billion dollar corporation.

The incredible loyalty of the employees in 71 stores across three New England states speaks volumes to the way they were treated up until

June 23rd and the way they have been treated since.  The shockingly amazing loyalty of the customer base supporting the employees is unprecedented.

Many people think the employees should shut up and get back to work because the customers are being inconvenienced and other people are happy to take the employees' jobs.  My response to you people?  SHUT THE HELL UP.

No, truly.  Shut up.

YOU are part of the problem.  With attitudes like yours, we might as well go back to the days before there were labor laws and minimum wage and required breaks for people working six hours or more at a clip because some other sucker will come along and do the job for cheaper

or longer or faster.  Hey, why don't we just give all the jobs to the wave of illegals coming in, right?  Why bother giving insurance to people?  let's make them all work just enough hours to keep people uninsured and in poverty, right?  I mean, who cares?  Certainly not you.

Here's what I can tell you.  The new board brought in by the hostile takeover is made up of people who specialize in bringing companies to

their knees, liquidating holdings, and making millions per board member.  One of the new people is guaranteed $17,000,000 even if (and maybe especially if) the company falters and dissolves.  One of the CEO's is from Radio Shack.  RADIO SHACK.  Yup, let's put a multi-billion dollar grocery corporation at the mercy of the idiot who ruined Radio Shack.

My prediction if Arthur T. DeMoulas is not reinstated, or if his offer to buy out the corporation fails to come to fruition:  The new regime will claim all of this boycott as a tax loss, will sell off their holdings, will destroy three generations worth of hard work, and the Bad Cousin who staged the coup will walk away 4.6 billion dollars richer.

HE DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU AS A

CUSTOMER.

Do you understand?  He doesn't care about you or the workers.  He cares about money in his pocket. HIS pocket, not his cousins', not his children's, not his siblings', and most certainly not his customers' pockets.  HIS POCKET.

The managers this new regime has fired?  Life-long employees.  I worked with and for some of these people -- Rockwell, Lacourse... The warehouse people this new regime has fired?  Dedicated employees.

So, go ahead.  Go shop at the current Market Basket if that's the kind of person you are.  It's your right.  But please, unless you've worked for this corporation when it had integrity (before 6/23/14), unless you know

any of the fired people personally, unless you've ever worried about having a job or providing benefits for your family or, god forbid, your spouse gets sick and dies and the corporation offers you a life insurance payout anyway that wasn't in place because your spouse hadn't been with the corporation long enough -- Unless these things have happened to you, just shut the fuck up about the Market Basket debacle.

For the rest of us, SUPPORT THE BOYCOTT.  Please.  Stand up and show support for an ousted CEO who loves and respects his workers, his company, and his community, and they (and we) respect him in return.

(All pictures taken at Chelmsford Market Basket at noon on Saturday 7/26/14.)