Market Basket will hold job fair to replace employees who don't return

TEWKSBURY, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Market Basket will hold a job fair to replace employees who do not return to work by Monday.

The supermarket chain's new co-chief executives, Felicia Thornton and James Gooch, released a statement on Wednesday afternoon once again asking employees to return to work, this time on Monday, August 4. If they do so, the statement read, they will not be punished.

For employees who don't return that day, the CEOs stated, the company will begin advertising to replace them.

"We understand that some associates may choose not to return, consequently we will begin advertising for employment opportunities. Our hope and strong preference is to have market basket's incredible associates return to work," the statement read.

On Thursday, an ad appeared in the Eagle-Tribune advertising a three-day job fair in Andover beginning on Monday.

Protesting Market Basket employees say the boycott has kept some 2 million customers from shopping at the chain's 71 stores.

"Without them, we don't exist. They're our best friends," said David McLean, a former operations manager at Market Basket.

In one Tewksbury store, the registers are silent, shelves are bare, and remaining employees have so much spare time, that they've repainted some of the shelves.

A the company's headquarters in Tewksbury, protesting has been continuous.

Veteran employee and part of the original eight people fired at the start of the conflict, Steve Paulenka says he's optimistic the conflict will come to an end in the next few days.

He also tells FOX 25's Crystal Haynes rumors that the company won't make payroll due to a drop in sales are likely not true.

However, "You need some volume to make payroll. I mean there's plenty of money to make payroll. But it's gonna have to come from other places. All the employees that are punched on are gonna get paid. But it's going to have to dip into someone else's pocket," he said.

In another offensive push, store managers have signed a petition vowing to walk off the job if the board decides not to reinstate Arthur T. Demoulas.

"I've worked for the company for 14 years and I don't wanna work for anybody else," said third-generation employee Mat Caredao.

Employees say they owe what they believe the success of their movement to the community, and that they'll be on the picket line for as long as it takes regardless of the deadline put forth by CEOs Wednesday .Cashier James Aronson of Tewksbury says he will continue to protest, even if it means losing his job.

"For me, it means I'm going to have trouble paying for college," he said. "But it also means I will be upholding principles I believe in," he said.

Assistant Manager Joe Deangelis says similar demands have been made before.

"I just think they are going to keep making threats as long as they can," he said.

Customers continue to boycott the chain in a show of support for workers. Some estimates say sales are down 90 percent. Employees say all they want is for Arthur T. to be reinstated.

A spokesperson for Arthur T. declined to comment "during active negotiations."

Cox Media Group