AGs Warn Market Basket About Employment Laws

By Tony Schinella

Attorneys General from both Massachusetts and New Hampshire issued a joint statement to the management team of Market Basket last night that is embroiled in a fight concerning control of the company.

After the management team issued an order for employees to return to work or face dismissal, and published ads promoting upcoming job fairs for both current and new employees, Martha Coakley and Joseph Foster, AGs from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, issued a two-page warning to the company reminding them of employment laws in both states, noting that the company’s decisions “directly impact thousands of employees and thousands of customers” in both states and have “serious implications for the many small businesses that supply your stores.” Both wrote that their offices had received “an uptick of calls” from the chain’s employees about their employment rights.

The letter outlined post-termination payment requirements for both states and warned that if Market Basket’s corporate office violated the law, there would be criminal and civil penalties issued in both states.

“Whatever decisions you make in the coming days, needless to say, our offices expect and will require compliance with our respective laws,” the letter stated.

GoFundMe effort raises $18K+

The customer group that launched a GoFundMe.com effort to raise $3,000 for a full-page ad in The Lowell Sun this weekend raised six times the amount of money it hoped to raise in less than 24-hours (a screenshot of the ad is attached to this post).

The Save Artie T & Market Basket Facebook group, one of a number of groups that have spouted up in support of employees and attempting to influence the company to re-hire Arthur T. Demoulas back to his CEO post, was stunned by the support it had received and will be using the money to launch more advertising and more pressure on the family members who own a little more than 50 percent of the business.

In a statement, the group said that while Arthur S. Demoulas had received the brunt of the blame, it was the other family members too who shared in stalemate, “lack of a deal and the continuing of the crisis” that is “drawing this story on and preventing 25,000 associates and 2 million customers from returning to the company they love. The company they built. The company that enriched these shareholders.”

The customer group is planning more rallies in the future and encouraging more people to get involved in the effort.