Market Basket Negotiations Now Include Governors Patrick, Hassan
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — The governors of Massachusetts and New Hampshire are trying to broker a deal to bring the Market Basket standoff to an end.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan actively participated in negotiations Sunday with feuding cousins Arthur T. Demoulas and Arthur S. Demoulas as well as several other shareholders.
The grocery store chain has 71 stores, all but one in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
A Patrick spokeswoman says the "the parties have made real progress" and are encouraged that a "resolution may be within reach."
Hassan's spokesman said the governor is hopeful that the leaders at Market Basket can resolve the standoff.
Neither Demoulas cousin commented.
The long-running feud between the cousins that culminated in the ouster of Arthur T. Demoulas as CEO has led to worker protests and customer boycotts that have brought the private company to a virtual standstill for the last five weeks.
The Market Basket board of directors is scheduled to meet Monday afternoon in Boston.
Last week, the company warned warehouse workers to return to their jobs by Monday or face termination.
Tom Trainor, a district supervisor who worked for Market Basket for 41 years before being fired last month for helping to organize the employee revolt, said that the approximately 300 warehouse workers and 65 drivers who have refused to make deliveries for the past month remained off the job Monday, despite the warning.
"They're still solid. They are not coming back (to work) until ATD (Arthur T. Demoulas) comes back," Trainor said.
"It's definitely encouraging that the two governors have realized that they're stakeholders in this. Having pressure from their offices is certainly welcomed by our wide," he said.
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