by A fierce altercation broke out in Market Baskets’ boardroom on Monday as the company requested a restraining order against two former executives, alleging that one of them had broken into the company’s headquarters after being fired for allegedly supporting an intimidation and defiance campaign on behalf of suspended CEO Arthur T. Demoulas.
The civil complaint, which was filed in Middlesex Superior Court, names two Demoulas friends who were sacked last month during the grocery chain’s increasingly tense power struggle: former Director of Operations Joseph Schmidt and former Store and Grocery Director Tom Gordon.
Market Basket is now requesting that a judge prevent Schmidt and Gordon from entering the company’s grounds. The matter will get a hearing on Thursday at 10 a.m.
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According to the complaint, both individuals were first put on leave in May after it was alleged that they were plotting to disrupt Market Basket’s operations and bullying coworkers into perhaps going on strike. At the time, Demoulas was also suspended.
According to the complaint, Schmidt and Gordon also aimed to make existing Market Basket employees believe that those who collaborated with Market Basket management while they were away would face reprisals once they were put back in their previous roles. In order to exert pressure on Market Basket management to restore them and Mr. Demoulas, they are launching this campaign to persuade employees to slow down or perhaps quit their jobs.
Demoulas spokesman Justine Griffin attacked the Market Basket board and the law company that was appointed to look into the work stoppage claims, calling the case against Schmidt and Gordon “ludicrous.”
Griffin continued, “They sent this complaint to the media before Joe and Tom were even aware of it, continuing the scorched earth tactics of the board and Quinn Emmanuel.” This gaming must end since it is interfering with actual people’s lives. They’re lying, too.
For his part, Schmidt has denied rumors that someone was planning a strike.
As part of a coordinated, multifaceted effort to raise doubts, create uncertainty, and potentially incite a consumer boycott, Schmidt and Gordon visited dozens of supermarket locations to talk with staff members despite being repeatedly told to stay off company property, according to Market Basket.
Before firing the two, three of the company’s board members sent final warning letters that read, “You are acting as if you want to get fired for insubordination.”
Griffin, however, refuted the company’s allegations that Schmidt and Gordon were behaving maliciously, stating that Joe and Tom were let go after working for Market Basket their whole lives. They discovered that being cut off from their friends and coworkers they had known for decades was more difficult than the highly visible false charges and ongoing attacks on their integrity.
Griffin went on to say that after being fired, they both made the decision to visit businesses and check in on their longtime coworkers in an effort to be comforting, upbeat people in the midst of the chaos.
The firm further claims that after being fired, Schmidt discreetly kept his master keys and broke into Market Basket’s Tewksbury offices last Thursday. The complaint claims that security footage demonstrates Schmidt attaching pictures of Demoulas to the windows of the business vehicle he arrived in before using a side entry to enter the facility.
Although the firm stated it’s unclear exactly what Schmidt did in the roughly six minutes he spent there, security camera footage allegedly showed him entering Market Basket’s executive offices through the warehouse. To find out if the claimed incident was reported to the police, Boston.com has contacted the Tewksbury Police Department.
Last Thursday, Griffin said, Schmidt gave his company car back to the office as asked.
She said that he stopped by to pay a quick visit to a few coworkers in the office and warehouse while he was there. After exchanging pleasantries, he departed without any problems or improper behavior.
In a statement, Market Basket Director Steven J. Collins stated that the company is requesting a restraining order to enforce the written request to leave Market Basket property and colleagues alone.
Additionally, the complaint requests that Schmidt be compelled to turn up any master keys that he may have.
Collins went on to say that because of their recent previous actions, Schmidt and Gordon were no longer allowed to work at Market Basket. According to suspended CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, this behavior goes well beyond simple allegiance to a position or a supervisor. It is illegal and goes beyond what is considered appropriate behavior.
Abby Patkin covers a wide range of topics as a general assignment news reporter, including crime, public transportation, health, and everything in between. She has been reporting on the murder case of Karen Read.
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