July 22, 2025 • 39 mins
At the end of May, the Market Basket grocery company placed its CEO Arthur Demoulas and a handful of employees on paid leave to investigate rumors that Demoulas and allies may be planning a work stoppage or other disruptions. Suspended executives Tom Gordon and Joe Schmidt were fired Tuesday after their appearance on NightSide last week. What's next for Market Basket?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's nice with Dan Ray. I'm telling you Boston.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Radio, thank you very much, Dan Watkins. A tough night
for the hometown nine down in Philadelphia, and uh, they'll
try to avoid that sweep tomorrow. They have. They lost
a couple of games, as I think most of you know,
uh in Chicago. So yeah, it's it's it's getting that
(00:29):
time of year. Gotta gotta do what you gotta do.
That is, that is for sure. Rob. I have just
lost one thing here, lost my my call screener. So
I'm going to have to try to figure that one out.
Don't know why, but it has disappeared. So we'll we'll
we'll work on that again. Okay, here's correction attempt. It's
(00:52):
timed out. Please verify your connectivity, how about that? Okay,
we'll be happy to do that. The electronics are just
amazing sometimes, aren't they. Rob. Oh well, we'll see how
this this all works out. Anyway. It's just been a
problem tonight, which I don't understand. Every once in a while.
(01:17):
Electronics are wonderful when they work. They're not so great
when they don't work, that is for sure. But whatever,
we'll we'll figure it out. Okay, here's what I would
like to do tonight. There's a story that broke late
this afternoon, and it hits us a little personally here
(01:38):
because it was just a week ago. As a matter
of fact, a little over a week ago was eight
days ago. That has timed out. Okay, we'll connect back. Okay.
It would be great if I would have a producer
here with me to do this stuff, but I don't,
So that's okay. We'll get it during the break and
(01:59):
in the meantime, you can tell me what callers are available.
So market Basket, Market Basket, my favorite grocery store, has
now fired two top lieutenants of Artie T. De Mulis,
accusing them of insubordination. That story broke late today. Written
(02:25):
by John Cesto of the Boston Globe staff, These are
the first firings in the battle between Artie Arthur T.
Demoulis and his three sisters over the future of the
popular food mart. Change. This is this is so interesting.
This is uh, this is absolutely interesting. The two executives
(02:49):
who have been fired h are Joe Schmidt and Tom Gordon.
Now I guess you could call them longtime loyal employees.
Maybe they fit into the gap into that category. Let's
see if my memory is correct. Joe Schmidt has worked
(03:13):
for market Basket for thirty nine years, almost forty years.
That's pretty good. Tom Gordon has worked for market Basket
for forty nine years. That's very good. I hope I
haven't mixed those numbers up. But between the two of them,
they worked for market Basket for about ninety years. And
(03:35):
now the new board has decided that they know what
they were. They were. They were suspended with pay until
September I think it was September thirtieth. But now there
are a new board and they have decided to fire
(03:57):
these guys. Now they were with thus last week. They
were two well spoken gentlemen. Clearly, the fact that they
spent a grand total between two of them of about
ninety years working for this institution spoke volumes about their
loyalty to market Basket. But tonight they have been fired
(04:23):
and the lieutenants, according to the Globe headline, were accused
of insubordination. These are the first firings in a battle
between Demulis and his three sisters over the future of
the popular supermarket chain. I know my audience has strong
feelings about the Demolis market Basket chain. I watched one
(04:44):
of the newscasts tonight, which I think this was the
second story on the newscast just a few minutes ago,
and I guess these individuals are going to have a
news conference tomorrow, but at this point they're out of
a job. So if you heard them here last Monday night,
it was Monday night, July fourteenth, nine o'clock, guests, and
(05:13):
I'd love to know what do you think of this?
This for me is a step too far. I have
set up until now market Basket is my go to
grocery store. That might change. That might change because of this.
I felt when I interviewed those individuals last week they
(05:35):
were really decent men who had committed their life and
their careers to the business of feeding people, you know,
and doing it at the most reasonable rate. I think
for the new folks in control to fire these gentlemen
(06:01):
is a step too far. I don't know if you
agree with me or not, but I wonder if we
are watching the beginning of the dissolution of market Basket
ninety stores, I think all of us are kind of
familiar with that figure they have had under the tutelage
(06:21):
of Arthur t. Demulis a great run, a great run.
So I'm going to just take a quick break. Six
one seven, two, five, four ten thirty six one seven, nine, three,
one ten thirty. Let's light those phone lines up. If
you are a loyal market Basket customer, there's the fact
that the new board of directors that ousted Arthur Demulas
(06:46):
now is the fire, has decided to fire these two
long term employees. Fifty years and thirty nine years. That's
a long time. That's a big commitment to way to
a business, a big commitment to an industry. Uh. I
don't know that I will feel the same way walking
into market Basket. I don't know that I'm going to
(07:07):
feel like I want to walk into market Basket.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's my thought right now. If you agree, great, If
you disagree, great. But I'm got a feeling that this
is a very significant development in the market Basket story.
Six one seven, two four thirty six one seven, nine, three,
one ten thirty. Very quick break. I'm going to try
to get my computer backwork in here, and we'll be
(07:32):
back on Nightside right after.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
This Night Side with Dan Ray. I'MBZ Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well here we're going right to calls. I have two
lines open by the way at seven eighty one. Excuse
me six one seven nine seven one six one seven
nine seven one ten thirty. Have had a little bit
of technical problems, but we're back and we're ready to go.
Let me go first to Noel in New Hampshire. Noel,
this is an interesting development and one that troubles me.
(08:02):
What's your take?
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Oh, well, it troubles me because it's my husband.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh right, right, right, right right. How long has your
husband worked there refreshed my recollection?
Speaker 4 (08:13):
It will be fifty years, and it would have been
fifty years in October.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
How a company in good faith can look at two
people who have given as much to this company as
your husband and his colleague, Joe Schmid and Tom Gordon.
I cannot believe that a company would be that cavalier.
Now it is now, I guess explained to me. Has
(08:41):
is there a venture capital element that's going on here?
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Well? What of?
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Let's I mean? First of all, Tom's been accused in
the letter that he got today. You know, some of
the accupations that the board made in Tom's letter are
directly attributed beatable to me. Some has no social media presence,
some doesn't even know how to put an iPhone on
a speaker. Yes, what you've got here is you've got
(09:10):
a Gordon Gecko on the board who wants nothing more
than to take apart this company and sell it. Fits
by debt. I mean the sisters have never been involved
in the company. They've never worked for the company. I
think they all have three or four kids each, and
only one kid works for the company, and he ran
the deli, and that's the guy I think they're probably
(09:31):
going to put in a CEO. You have an attorney,
mister Hashigan, and this is all available on Google. I mean,
he's Karen demules as next door neighbor. So there's definitely
a conflict of interest there. You've got.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
People that well, you know, Noela and again you know,
I'm totally on your side, uh in terms of how
these men were treated today. But Karen Demo listening again,
without getting into the weeds, she has a right to
hire any lawyer she wants, whether they live next door
to her or not.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
I mean, you know that's he's on the board, Dan,
he's her board representative.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Well so, so he's not hired as a lawyer. He
was appointed to the board of trustees.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
He is the board of he is the chairman of
the board.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Now okay, well again, I don't see what the conflict
of interest. I'm not trying to quibble with you because
I'm on your side. I just don't see the conflict
of interest. You would assume that when they took control
of the board, they're going to hire, They're going to
promote people to the board or vote people on to
the board who are empathetic to this situation.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Absolutely, but the board also has a fiduciary responsibility to
all the shareholders and to the company.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yeah, what happens is that then becomes unless you can
that they are using money fraudulently. I mean, it's a
it's you know, if they're going to say, well, we're
gonna we're going to what they're going to argue potentially
is we're going to increase We're going to do a
wonderful job, that say, and then we're going to increase
the money to the shareholders because we're going to sell
(11:17):
off some of the underperforming source. And they're going to
do exactly perhaps what you say, and that is sell
the company off piece by piece, But I think that
this may cause. My reaction was I'm not interested in
going to market Basket anymore if they're treating long term
employees that way.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Well, I think when people give their lives to a company,
it's not just Bom and Joe and Pop Quigley. I mean,
there are store managers that have been in that company
for as long as my husband has been there. There
are a lot of people that give their life to
this company and they're not happy things are being run well.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Noel, as soon as as soon as I heard that today,
I thought of both of these gentlemen who were on
my show eight nights ago. I thought they conducted themselves
as gentlemen. When I read the Chest article, I was
fearful that they might have cited their interviews on my show,
but they that it wasn't sided Again, they said nothing.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
I can assure you it was sited in my husband's
termination letter. Well really absolutely what you.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Can paraphrase for me. Did they talk about it on
the radio.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Yes, they quoted I think three direct quotes from Tom's
conversation with you. I'm not at home right now, but.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
You know, you know, I did ask both of them
if they felt by being on the air, because I
think they're very smart. I think they're very smart gentlemen,
and that they both said, look, we're going to do
the right thing. Whether this comes back to hurt us,
you know, you remember I asked that question. But I
don't think they said anything that was disparaging. And I'm
(13:07):
sure that you can go through any sort of an
hour long interview with a fine tooth comb and find
something that maybe made the current board uncomfortable. But I
don't know when that's litigated in a court of law,
that that you're that that you know your husband and
mister Joe Schmidt are gonna do anything but win.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
I don't, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen.
I really don't. And regardless, I can say my husband
has integrity. He's never done anything that wasn't in the
best interest of the company. You know, maybe it wasn't
a popular decision with certain people, but ultimately the associates
(13:54):
and running the company efficiently in the best interests of
the customers and the people that work there have always
been upper management number one priority. And I think we'll
see that change drafted.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
But let me just let me just say to you
that the way in which now, if you're telling me
that now, because they were on my show, that that
in any way, shape or form contributed to their dismissal,
I think I'm going to have to decide as a
customer that I can no longer support that company.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Well, I can certainly email you.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
The director, if you would email me a copy of
the letter, I would appreciate.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
You.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Don't have to do it now, but I'd love to
have that from my file. Okay, because I don't remember
anything that they said, either one of them said that
would be considered disrespectful or untoward.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
I thought that they connect to give line.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yep, okay, Rob, please give Noel the email right now.
Thank you so much, Noel and hanging there, okay, better
to er ahead, Rob, go ahead, take take the call off.
We'll keep rolling here. When when Noel gets off, that
will open up one line at six one seven, two
five four ten thirty and we have two lines at
six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. If you,
(15:15):
as a customer, could care less who's running a company
and all of that, I'll be happy to hear from you.
To me, it matters. Integrity matters authenticity matters, and I
would hate to think that somehow the radio appearance of
(15:35):
these two gentlemen, who I thought were very professional, would
come back and hurt them. Let me go next to
Linda in Salem, Massachusetts. Linda, appreciate your calling in. Go
right ahead, your take on the firing of two long
term executives who had been suspended now fired terminated by
market Basket executives.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
Okay, hello, darn Hi, Hi Linda, welcome.
Speaker 7 (16:01):
Hi.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
I actually work at Marcobasket, OK.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
And I know that some of the people were given
an email that said if they liked that show that
you put on with the two guys, they would be fired.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It was that that that that you would give it
an email that paraphrase that again for me, if they
liked the show, they would be fired.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
If they liked the segment that you had with the
two guys.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yea, if whose they?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Though?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Who's the who is they? If they liked it? Who
they would be fired? I don't understand who they is.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
People who work there, old timers and long timers and
so who they couldn't respond.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
To it, well, they were to respond to it, and
they have an open invitation to respond to it. So
what you're saying, and again, Linda, I think what you're
saying to me is that the people who who worked
for Market Basket, if they called the show and complimented
(17:20):
Joe or Tom that that they themselves then might be fired.
As I think is what I'm hearing you say. I'm
a little confused. So help me out.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
I guess they said, who is they listen to it?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Do me a favor. Just when you use the pronoun day,
are you talking about the board of the current board
of directors, the current management? Tell me who you're talking about.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
No other employees in the store.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Okay, So if any Market Basket employees liked the show
and liked what they heard, they too would be fired. Yeah,
well they have the Market Basket employees have every right
to listen to whatever shows they want, and they have
a right to to to agree or disagree with anything
(18:12):
they hear. So so that was Was that a memo
that was sent to the Market Basket employees? Are you
telling me that or was it just word of mouth?
Speaker 6 (18:22):
It was word of mouth to me, m.
Speaker 8 (18:28):
But that's how they're dealing with their employees right now.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah. So, so that's that's that's pretty intimidating.
Speaker 8 (18:38):
You know you you do not comment on anything going on.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Yeah, well, that's that's again. I can understand that they
can say to employees, look, there are certain things you
don't talk about in terms of how we run the company.
Uh uh you know, or trade secrets obviously, But if
if a market Basket employee wanted to call you know, Tom,
(19:11):
Tom or Joe that night, uh and uh and and
say gee, we miss you. You did a good job
for us, Tom and Joe. Uh and if that person
was identified, they could have been fired. That's pretty scary.
That's yeah, that's not American as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
Linda, thank you for the call.
Speaker 6 (19:30):
Glad we couldn't like it on Facebook.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Oh I see okay, yeah, well that that obviously is
if once you put post something on Facebook, if you're
identified with the Facebook page, then they could track you down. Linda,
I got to run here because I'm up against my newscast.
I'm glad I got you in best of Well, thank you,
thank you, Linda, appreciate it. Good night. Six one seven
two ten thirty, six one seven, nine thirty. If you
(19:59):
live in our area, you're very familiar with. Market Basket
is a regional grocery chain that has been very very successful,
UH and very successful because of the leadership of Arthur
Demoulis and the long term leadership of Joe Schmidt and
(20:21):
Tom Gordon. To longtime employees Joe Smid thirty nine years,
Tom Gordon forty nine years who were on my program
Monday Night last Monday Night, were today terminated by market Basket.
We will continue right here on Nightside. I want to
get your reaction to it. Does it bother you or
will you continue to be a customer market Basket. I
(20:42):
think it's an interesting question. Six one, seven, two, five,
four to ten thirty six one, seven, nine, three thirty
Coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Thank you very much, Dan. Walking by the way, if
you would like to hear the interview that I conducted
with Tom Gordon and Joe Smith Joe Schmidt excuse me
a week ago on Monday in the nine o'clock hour,
and there have already been two thousand and six downloads
(21:22):
of that one podcast. That is the That's a huge
number for a single podcast download, A huge number. All
you have to do is go to nightside on demand
dot com and you will find it UH, and you
can listen to what and make your own judgments as
(21:44):
to how professional. Joe Schmidt and Tom Gordon Joe Schmidt,
a thirty nine year old manager with market Basket chain
wide manager and Tom Gordon, a forty nine year old veteran,
also a manager. UH and they were terminated today and apparently,
(22:10):
according to the wife of Tom Gordon, the letter that
they received cited our program now again. I asked them
that night, I said, you're doing an interview. Does are
you fearful that this might put you I think, I
said in the cross heres of the current leadership of
market Basket uh. And both of them said, we're not fearful.
(22:33):
We're doing the right thing and we have our own integrity. Okay,
got a couple of lines one at six one seven, two, five,
four ten thirty and one at six one seven, nine thirty.
I know what you're gonna do. You're gonna wait until
about five minutes or twelve and you won't get on
dial now and I'll get you on. It's as simple
as that. That's the way it plays, folks. I got
to be honest with you, John and lemonster. John, you're
(22:54):
next on nightside. Thanks for calling in. How are you.
Speaker 7 (22:56):
What's mister Ray doing?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Uh? Mister Ray was my father and he's passed on me.
Is doing great?
Speaker 7 (23:04):
You all right? My neighbor worked there for forty five years.
He got cancer. He was retired. Arthur come up to
see him and he was the meet manager and John
pitch Highway and Fitchburgh. His wife worked there for forty
three years and she was the receiver at the Water
(23:24):
Street store, and he come up to visit him. Arthur's
goal was to have a hundred stores. And I think
the sisters and all them or somebody's fighting them that
they want to sell it. I guess somebody says they
wanted to sell it. They somebody said they wanted twelve
billion or they wanted fourteen billion for the business. Arthur's
(23:46):
soul and everything was in them stores. His goal was
for a hundred stores. And my neighbor used to work
with his father, Mike, and that guy come up to
see him when he was sick. And he was retired
for a few years before he come up there. Then
his wife retired, but at was a gentleman. That guy
is unbelievable. I can't believe that they're doing this to him.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
They're doing it to him, and they're also doing it
to his long time colleagues, people who had been his
most trusted advisors and supporters.
Speaker 7 (24:22):
So it's unbelievable. I just can't believe it. They're going
to band this from the stole, you won't be able
to go in.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Well, I don't know that this might not cause the
a repeat of the furor of twenty fifteen, the furor
that surrounded market basket. I remember the summer well, I
guess I'm mistake. Maybe it was twenty fourteen. I forget.
I think it was twenty fourteen when people boycotted. People boycotted.
Speaker 7 (24:51):
Yeah, notnbelievable.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
You know, I have nothing to do with that, and
I wouldn't suggest that or anything like that. It's up
to individuals to make whatever decision. I know. For me,
when I hear about long time employees being terminated unceremoniously
from an institution like that, that leaves a bad taste
(25:13):
in my mouth.
Speaker 7 (25:14):
But union and they just want to throw them all
out and start over, that's all.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
You wouldn't inspected because the two gentlemen who have just
been terminated were in the upper management of Arthur T's organizagement,
so they were they would not have had the union protections.
And of course when you're in that you know that stratosphere,
you you realize you don't have union protection.
Speaker 7 (25:42):
But he had a good he had a good goal
to keep their pensions and everything for these people. He
did everything he could for these people. And his goal
was one hundred stores. He's got I think ninety and
ninety one. His goal was one hundred. And he even
said that when you come and see my name.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yeah, well, thank you for that information. Doesn't surprise me.
That certainly has a one hundred has a nice ring
to it, a nice round number. John. I gotta keep
rolling here, gonna get.
Speaker 7 (26:09):
Thank you, Dan, Thanks John.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Thank you very much. And I'm with you. I feel my.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
Aunt always tell me to call.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
You well, thank you. This is your first time.
Speaker 7 (26:18):
Calling No, no, no, this is about the fourth time.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Well, good you keep it up.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
Okay, thank you Dan very much, Bye, pleasure.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Thanks very much, six seven good night six one seven
thirty six one seven nine thirty And again, it's always
dangerous when you do a talk show to deal with
a story that is literally breaking, but it has been
broken today by the Boston Globe. John Cesto, great writer
for the Globe, great business writer, has written a piece
(26:46):
which would be I assume in tomorrow's newspaper that Market Basket,
the new board of directors has fired two of the
top lieutenants of Arthur T. De Mulis, accusing them of insubordination.
And perhaps some of that insubordination in the wood Fields
occurred on this very radio program a week ago last
night during the nine o'clock hour. If you want to
(27:07):
listen to that hour, just go to Nightside and demand
all our hours there in reverse order, meaning the most
recent hour that has posted his last and last night's eleven.
You got to roll back through Monday night, then Friday,
from last week, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, and then you get
to that nine o'clock hour, last time last Monday. Next up.
(27:29):
Let me go to Steve in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Steve,
I know Market Basket does have stores up in New Hampshire.
How are you, Steve good Dan?
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Then celebrating my birthday today.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Happy birthday, Happy birthday to streets to Steve.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
Thank you very much. I just joined your decade.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Yeah, well it's a pretty scary decade. And you're also
a July baby. So that's that's good too. Okay, let's
your take.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Okay, here's here's what I called last week. And I
was very fearful, just like you, that whatever Tom and
Joe said was going to be used against them. I
was shocked, but not surprised at what they did. This
is America, it's free speech. There was nothing that they said.
(28:18):
I listened to that interview from the beginning to the end.
There was nothing that was said in that interview that
would cause any problem for that board. A possible boycott
now they've got to I do think they have the
possibility of a boycott, because yeah there I mean, and
if they do a boycott, just like in twenty fourteen,
(28:40):
I'll be right there. I'll go shop somewhere else for
a while. I mean, that's the only thing they're afraid of.
The only thing that that board and the sisters are
afraid of is another boycott. I'm not sure, and I
really pray that they're not going to sell the company.
I mean, that would not be good for New England
in general. I love you know, you know how much
(29:01):
I love shopping there, just like you do. But you know,
you've got to treat your employees right. And you know,
basically there's so much acrimony between the Sisters and RDT
that anybody that's mixed up in it is going to
be on the outs with the It's what's.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Called it's what's called collateral damage. And exactly it's unfortunate,
and I feel very badly. Now again, I will tell
you that I knew we were going to have those
two gentlemen, Tom Gordon and Joe schmid On. I knew
of their relationship with the company. We also did invite
(29:38):
and it's a standing invitation to invite representatives of the
new group, because we're fair those that those invitations were extended.
They were not accepted, but that's a standing invitation. They
want to come on tomorrow night, that's fine. I certainly
now will have some real questions for them about why
(29:58):
would you take this action against such long term employees.
And again, this night Side and Demand is available. People
can listen to it. All you have to do is
go is nightside in Demand dot com and hear the
entire hour. I thought they conducted themselves very professionally, and
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
They were They were very nice about it. I mean
they I don't think that they went overboard or too
rebellious about what happened, but they you know, between your show,
which a lot a lot of important people listen to
your show. I think you know that. And also the
Boston Goal, everybody reads that paper, you know, virtually in
(30:38):
the whole area. It's not going to go over well.
I mean, they're setting themselves up for a disaster if
this thing starts to blow up in their face. And
I'm very afraid that that's what's going to happen, because
the employees, they're not going to appreciate, you know, having
people fired just because they you know, had your SHD.
I mean, that's what it comes down to you. It
(30:59):
wasn't anything they say. It's the new effect that they
called your show in the first place. That's what they
were on.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Just so you know, they were on my show as guests.
Technically it may not make a difference, but it wasn't
as if they both happen to call in simultaneously. They
were scheduled as guest that night. I thought they presented
themselves well, and they didn't say anything that I thought
was inappropriates.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
Put it like that, and Rdiet he should get the
credit for the last eleven years for bringing the store
where it is right now, and his management team are
front and center right there with him. So for them
to disparage that team because they just have some kind
of an animosity within their family is just not the
(31:45):
way to do it. I mean, they're they're really setting
themselves up for a real problem that they didn't want
to have, and that boycott all once it starts, it's
really hard to stop it. That's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
I mean, they had that experience in twenty fourteen, and
they I think, let me just say this, I don't
want to appear in any way, shape or form as
someone who's advocating anything, because that's not my role. I
will say this. I think that the temperature on this
this family dispute has just risen substantially because now it's
(32:22):
not just family members who are being hurt, it's two loyal, longtime,
loyal employees who between the two of them, gave mins
of service.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Now, my question is, if you're willing to fire Jo
Schmidt and Tom Gordon, why didn't they file fire r
et right now? I mean, why are they waiting? I
mean it looks like you know, anything that has to
do with them. You know, they're they're just going to
try and you know, get rid of that individual, whether
they're a current or former employee.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Well, it looks like stock. So I mean they they
may be able to fire him as I don't know
what his status is as an employee. I don't know
if he is still an employee technically. These gentlemen told
me they were, they were suspended without pay, and now
they have determinated, so we know what that difference is. Steve.
(33:14):
I hate to do this to you because it was
a great call. Thank you so much, and we will
talk soon, but I've got to move on to a
commercial break and wrap the show. But we may talk
about this again tomorrow as well. Thank you, Steve, appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Thanks you.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
The reason I say that, folks, is that a lot
of you today probably are saying, what is he talking about? Well,
the Boston Will just has broken a story that today
Market Basket, the new board of Masket. Market Basket fired
two of the top executives loyal to Arthur T. Demolis
and They happen to be two individuals who were guests
on this program a week ago last night, so this
(33:51):
is eight days later. Uh, and Joe Schmidt, who worked
for thirty nine years with this company, and Tom Gordon,
who worked for forty nine years. Between the two of them,
ninety years. I got room for a couple more calls.
I will be very surprised, even though this is a
breaking news story that my audience can't keep pace with
breaking news six one, seven, two, four, ten, thirty six,
(34:13):
one seven, nine, three, one, ten, thirty will get everybody
in light them up. Coming back after.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
This, It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
They are gonna wrap the hour here. Let's go next
to Bill in Pennsylvania. Bill, I know you don't have marsket.
I don't think you have market basket stores in Pennsylvania,
but welcome.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
Nonetheless, are you doing Dan, Yeah, I'm in Pennsylvania, but
I live in Maine. Oh okay, So I send you
an email a bit ago. Uh on this subject. I
said back at twenty to you back at twenty fourteen,
and I'll say it now, keep an eye on the warehousing.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Uh. I don't know what that means. Explain what that means.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
If they decide to outsource a warehousing to a separate company.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Okay, and you kind of you that's a little inside baseball.
I don't really know what that what what the significance
of that is built.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
Well, market Basket has an awesome warehouse crew. They make
the best of it. They actually try to get this
stuff in where from the last thirty years I've been
on the road, I dealt with nightmares. I'm trying to
deliver the grocery stores, and okay, market Basket has been
(35:37):
awesome my entire career.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Fair enough, Okay, Now I understand it's like a little
it's it's like talking, you know, inside baseball to a
baseball manager who says, you know, you know, you got
to make sure you get balance in your bullpen. You know,
the average person is, what are you talking about. We
got to have a couple of lefties out there and
a couple of rightings. You gotta have some balance. You know,
you kin'd of have all rightings or are all left
(36:00):
But we'll say, does this move surprise you or no?
Speaker 5 (36:07):
I think the same game is going on with the
trying to outsource the warehousing and I'll tell you you
remember Purity Supreme.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
I do remember them.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
Yeah, that's exactly what they did right before they went
belly up.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Okay, well we will keep an eye out on it. Bill.
Thank you much. I appreciate it. I got sneak in here.
I didn't realize. Hey, I got a couple of bills
in Pennsylvania. I wasn't wich sure that which which one
this was. But thank you.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Take care. Dan.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Let me go to ken and Waldam Ken you next
time nights.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
I go right ahead, Hi, Daniel.
Speaker 9 (36:41):
I think I'm stating the obvious, but there's certainly things
to be the kind of the poster child for its
showing effect. Right, two managers are pure on your show,
and these are the two guys who get fired. And
it seems unlikely did Market Basket people are going to
be talking to the press anytime.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Mind. Is something that is according to the the spouse
of one of the men, is that in the letter
the Globe article John Cesto's piece did not refer to
their appearance on Nightside, which I thought that's a possibility
because they had been here only a week ago on
Monday night. She told me then in the letter that
(37:21):
her husband received. There was a specific refer reference to
her appearance on Nightside. Again, I listened that night as
I interviewed them, and I thought they comported themselves very well.
There was nothing that they said that I thought was
out of the way if you know what I'm saying or.
Speaker 9 (37:37):
Inappropriate right, well, that's it doesn't really matter right to
the to the new board. It sounds like potentially anyway.
And the only the only other point I wanted to
make is it sounds like, you know, potentially to you
and your show, maybe you know, become part of the story.
What to see what happens.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Well, we'll see. If people want to listen to the
to the hour with them, all they have to do
is go to Nightside and demand. They've already been twenty
one hundred and six people who listened and downloaded, and
I suspect many of them were Macro Basket employees. Nightside
does have a footprint, does have an impact, So be careful, folks.
(38:14):
You know the new Market Basket team, they may stir
up a hornets nest. I'm speaking only as one customer.
It will give me second thoughts, but there may be others.
Speaker 9 (38:26):
Yeah, damn, thanks very much and I'm gonna be number
twenty one oh seven, right, Thanks Jed.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
That was a Monday, last Monday night at nine pm,
so it was Monday night. Let's see the fourteenth, fourteenth
of July. Thanks Ken, I appreciate you lord for the show.
Thank you so much. We had done for the night.
Rob Brooks appreciate great job, Marita, excellent job. We'll continue
(38:53):
on all these stories tomorrow. Stay with us. Tell you
friends about nights Side. All dogs, all cats, all pets
go to heaven. That's my pal Charlie ray Is, who
passed fifteen years ago in February. That's where all your
pets are who were passed. They loved you when you
loved them. I do believe you'll see them again. Hope,
see you in tomorrow night on Nightside. I will be
on Facebook Nightside with Dan Ray with some interesting comments
in about two or three minutes. See you there, See
(39:14):
you tomorrow night. Everybody, have a great Wednesday.
It's nice with Dan Ray. I'm telling you Boston.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Radio, thank you very much, Dan Watkins. A tough night
for the hometown nine down in Philadelphia, and uh, they'll
try to avoid that sweep tomorrow. They have. They lost
a couple of games, as I think most of you know,
uh in Chicago. So yeah, it's it's it's getting that
(00:29):
time of year. Gotta gotta do what you gotta do.
That is, that is for sure. Rob. I have just
lost one thing here, lost my my call screener. So
I'm going to have to try to figure that one out.
Don't know why, but it has disappeared. So we'll we'll
we'll work on that again. Okay, here's correction attempt. It's
(00:52):
timed out. Please verify your connectivity, how about that? Okay,
we'll be happy to do that. The electronics are just
amazing sometimes, aren't they. Rob. Oh well, we'll see how
this this all works out. Anyway. It's just been a
problem tonight, which I don't understand. Every once in a while.
(01:17):
Electronics are wonderful when they work. They're not so great
when they don't work, that is for sure. But whatever,
we'll we'll figure it out. Okay, here's what I would
like to do tonight. There's a story that broke late
this afternoon, and it hits us a little personally here
(01:38):
because it was just a week ago. As a matter
of fact, a little over a week ago was eight
days ago. That has timed out. Okay, we'll connect back. Okay.
It would be great if I would have a producer
here with me to do this stuff, but I don't,
So that's okay. We'll get it during the break and
(01:59):
in the meantime, you can tell me what callers are available.
So market Basket, Market Basket, my favorite grocery store, has
now fired two top lieutenants of Artie T. De Mulis,
accusing them of insubordination. That story broke late today. Written
(02:25):
by John Cesto of the Boston Globe staff, These are
the first firings in the battle between Artie Arthur T.
Demoulis and his three sisters over the future of the
popular food mart. Change. This is this is so interesting.
This is uh, this is absolutely interesting. The two executives
(02:49):
who have been fired h are Joe Schmidt and Tom Gordon.
Now I guess you could call them longtime loyal employees.
Maybe they fit into the gap into that category. Let's
see if my memory is correct. Joe Schmidt has worked
(03:13):
for market Basket for thirty nine years, almost forty years.
That's pretty good. Tom Gordon has worked for market Basket
for forty nine years. That's very good. I hope I
haven't mixed those numbers up. But between the two of them,
they worked for market Basket for about ninety years. And
(03:35):
now the new board has decided that they know what
they were. They were. They were suspended with pay until
September I think it was September thirtieth. But now there
are a new board and they have decided to fire
(03:57):
these guys. Now they were with thus last week. They
were two well spoken gentlemen. Clearly, the fact that they
spent a grand total between two of them of about
ninety years working for this institution spoke volumes about their
loyalty to market Basket. But tonight they have been fired
(04:23):
and the lieutenants, according to the Globe headline, were accused
of insubordination. These are the first firings in a battle
between Demulis and his three sisters over the future of
the popular supermarket chain. I know my audience has strong
feelings about the Demolis market Basket chain. I watched one
(04:44):
of the newscasts tonight, which I think this was the
second story on the newscast just a few minutes ago,
and I guess these individuals are going to have a
news conference tomorrow, but at this point they're out of
a job. So if you heard them here last Monday night,
it was Monday night, July fourteenth, nine o'clock, guests, and
(05:13):
I'd love to know what do you think of this?
This for me is a step too far. I have
set up until now market Basket is my go to
grocery store. That might change. That might change because of this.
I felt when I interviewed those individuals last week they
(05:35):
were really decent men who had committed their life and
their careers to the business of feeding people, you know,
and doing it at the most reasonable rate. I think
for the new folks in control to fire these gentlemen
(06:01):
is a step too far. I don't know if you
agree with me or not, but I wonder if we
are watching the beginning of the dissolution of market Basket
ninety stores, I think all of us are kind of
familiar with that figure they have had under the tutelage
(06:21):
of Arthur t. Demulis a great run, a great run.
So I'm going to just take a quick break. Six
one seven, two, five, four ten thirty six one seven, nine, three,
one ten thirty. Let's light those phone lines up. If
you are a loyal market Basket customer, there's the fact
that the new board of directors that ousted Arthur Demulas
(06:46):
now is the fire, has decided to fire these two
long term employees. Fifty years and thirty nine years. That's
a long time. That's a big commitment to way to
a business, a big commitment to an industry. Uh. I
don't know that I will feel the same way walking
into market Basket. I don't know that I'm going to
(07:07):
feel like I want to walk into market Basket.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
That's my thought right now. If you agree, great, If
you disagree, great. But I'm got a feeling that this
is a very significant development in the market Basket story.
Six one seven, two four thirty six one seven, nine, three,
one ten thirty. Very quick break. I'm going to try
to get my computer backwork in here, and we'll be
(07:32):
back on Nightside right after.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
This Night Side with Dan Ray. I'MBZ Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well here we're going right to calls. I have two
lines open by the way at seven eighty one. Excuse
me six one seven nine seven one six one seven
nine seven one ten thirty. Have had a little bit
of technical problems, but we're back and we're ready to go.
Let me go first to Noel in New Hampshire. Noel,
this is an interesting development and one that troubles me.
(08:02):
What's your take?
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Oh, well, it troubles me because it's my husband.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Oh right, right, right, right right. How long has your
husband worked there refreshed my recollection?
Speaker 4 (08:13):
It will be fifty years, and it would have been
fifty years in October.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
How a company in good faith can look at two
people who have given as much to this company as
your husband and his colleague, Joe Schmid and Tom Gordon.
I cannot believe that a company would be that cavalier.
Now it is now, I guess explained to me. Has
(08:41):
is there a venture capital element that's going on here?
Speaker 5 (08:45):
Well? What of?
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Let's I mean? First of all, Tom's been accused in
the letter that he got today. You know, some of
the accupations that the board made in Tom's letter are
directly attributed beatable to me. Some has no social media presence,
some doesn't even know how to put an iPhone on
a speaker. Yes, what you've got here is you've got
(09:10):
a Gordon Gecko on the board who wants nothing more
than to take apart this company and sell it. Fits
by debt. I mean the sisters have never been involved
in the company. They've never worked for the company. I
think they all have three or four kids each, and
only one kid works for the company, and he ran
the deli, and that's the guy I think they're probably
(09:31):
going to put in a CEO. You have an attorney,
mister Hashigan, and this is all available on Google. I mean,
he's Karen demules as next door neighbor. So there's definitely
a conflict of interest there. You've got.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
People that well, you know, Noela and again you know,
I'm totally on your side, uh in terms of how
these men were treated today. But Karen Demo listening again,
without getting into the weeds, she has a right to
hire any lawyer she wants, whether they live next door
to her or not.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
I mean, you know that's he's on the board, Dan,
he's her board representative.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Well so, so he's not hired as a lawyer. He
was appointed to the board of trustees.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
He is the board of he is the chairman of
the board.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Now okay, well again, I don't see what the conflict
of interest. I'm not trying to quibble with you because
I'm on your side. I just don't see the conflict
of interest. You would assume that when they took control
of the board, they're going to hire, They're going to
promote people to the board or vote people on to
the board who are empathetic to this situation.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Absolutely, but the board also has a fiduciary responsibility to
all the shareholders and to the company.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yeah, what happens is that then becomes unless you can
that they are using money fraudulently. I mean, it's a
it's you know, if they're going to say, well, we're
gonna we're going to what they're going to argue potentially
is we're going to increase We're going to do a
wonderful job, that say, and then we're going to increase
the money to the shareholders because we're going to sell
(11:17):
off some of the underperforming source. And they're going to
do exactly perhaps what you say, and that is sell
the company off piece by piece, But I think that
this may cause. My reaction was I'm not interested in
going to market Basket anymore if they're treating long term
employees that way.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Well, I think when people give their lives to a company,
it's not just Bom and Joe and Pop Quigley. I mean,
there are store managers that have been in that company
for as long as my husband has been there. There
are a lot of people that give their life to
this company and they're not happy things are being run well.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Noel, as soon as as soon as I heard that today,
I thought of both of these gentlemen who were on
my show eight nights ago. I thought they conducted themselves
as gentlemen. When I read the Chest article, I was
fearful that they might have cited their interviews on my show,
but they that it wasn't sided Again, they said nothing.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
I can assure you it was sited in my husband's
termination letter. Well really absolutely what you.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Can paraphrase for me. Did they talk about it on
the radio.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Yes, they quoted I think three direct quotes from Tom's
conversation with you. I'm not at home right now, but.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
You know, you know, I did ask both of them
if they felt by being on the air, because I
think they're very smart. I think they're very smart gentlemen,
and that they both said, look, we're going to do
the right thing. Whether this comes back to hurt us,
you know, you remember I asked that question. But I
don't think they said anything that was disparaging. And I'm
(13:07):
sure that you can go through any sort of an
hour long interview with a fine tooth comb and find
something that maybe made the current board uncomfortable. But I
don't know when that's litigated in a court of law,
that that you're that that you know your husband and
mister Joe Schmidt are gonna do anything but win.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
I don't, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen.
I really don't. And regardless, I can say my husband
has integrity. He's never done anything that wasn't in the
best interest of the company. You know, maybe it wasn't
a popular decision with certain people, but ultimately the associates
(13:54):
and running the company efficiently in the best interests of
the customers and the people that work there have always
been upper management number one priority. And I think we'll
see that change drafted.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
But let me just let me just say to you
that the way in which now, if you're telling me
that now, because they were on my show, that that
in any way, shape or form contributed to their dismissal,
I think I'm going to have to decide as a
customer that I can no longer support that company.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Well, I can certainly email you.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
The director, if you would email me a copy of
the letter, I would appreciate.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
You.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Don't have to do it now, but I'd love to
have that from my file. Okay, because I don't remember
anything that they said, either one of them said that
would be considered disrespectful or untoward.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
I thought that they connect to give line.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Yep, okay, Rob, please give Noel the email right now.
Thank you so much, Noel and hanging there, okay, better
to er ahead, Rob, go ahead, take take the call off.
We'll keep rolling here. When when Noel gets off, that
will open up one line at six one seven, two
five four ten thirty and we have two lines at
six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. If you,
(15:15):
as a customer, could care less who's running a company
and all of that, I'll be happy to hear from you.
To me, it matters. Integrity matters authenticity matters, and I
would hate to think that somehow the radio appearance of
(15:35):
these two gentlemen, who I thought were very professional, would
come back and hurt them. Let me go next to
Linda in Salem, Massachusetts. Linda, appreciate your calling in. Go
right ahead, your take on the firing of two long
term executives who had been suspended now fired terminated by
market Basket executives.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
Okay, hello, darn Hi, Hi Linda, welcome.
Speaker 7 (16:01):
Hi.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
I actually work at Marcobasket, OK.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (16:07):
And I know that some of the people were given
an email that said if they liked that show that
you put on with the two guys, they would be fired.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It was that that that that you would give it
an email that paraphrase that again for me, if they
liked the show, they would be fired.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
If they liked the segment that you had with the
two guys.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yea, if whose they?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Though?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Who's the who is they? If they liked it? Who
they would be fired? I don't understand who they is.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
People who work there, old timers and long timers and
so who they couldn't respond.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
To it, well, they were to respond to it, and
they have an open invitation to respond to it. So
what you're saying, and again, Linda, I think what you're
saying to me is that the people who who worked
for Market Basket, if they called the show and complimented
(17:20):
Joe or Tom that that they themselves then might be fired.
As I think is what I'm hearing you say. I'm
a little confused. So help me out.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
I guess they said, who is they listen to it?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Do me a favor. Just when you use the pronoun day,
are you talking about the board of the current board
of directors, the current management? Tell me who you're talking about.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
No other employees in the store.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Okay, So if any Market Basket employees liked the show
and liked what they heard, they too would be fired. Yeah,
well they have the Market Basket employees have every right
to listen to whatever shows they want, and they have
a right to to to agree or disagree with anything
(18:12):
they hear. So so that was Was that a memo
that was sent to the Market Basket employees? Are you
telling me that or was it just word of mouth?
Speaker 6 (18:22):
It was word of mouth to me, m.
Speaker 8 (18:28):
But that's how they're dealing with their employees right now.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah. So, so that's that's that's pretty intimidating.
Speaker 8 (18:38):
You know you you do not comment on anything going on.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Yeah, well, that's that's again. I can understand that they
can say to employees, look, there are certain things you
don't talk about in terms of how we run the company.
Uh uh you know, or trade secrets obviously, But if
if a market Basket employee wanted to call you know, Tom,
(19:11):
Tom or Joe that night, uh and uh and and
say gee, we miss you. You did a good job
for us, Tom and Joe. Uh and if that person
was identified, they could have been fired. That's pretty scary.
That's yeah, that's not American as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
Linda, thank you for the call.
Speaker 6 (19:30):
Glad we couldn't like it on Facebook.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Oh I see okay, yeah, well that that obviously is
if once you put post something on Facebook, if you're
identified with the Facebook page, then they could track you down. Linda,
I got to run here because I'm up against my newscast.
I'm glad I got you in best of Well, thank you,
thank you, Linda, appreciate it. Good night. Six one seven
two ten thirty, six one seven, nine thirty. If you
(19:59):
live in our area, you're very familiar with. Market Basket
is a regional grocery chain that has been very very successful,
UH and very successful because of the leadership of Arthur
Demoulis and the long term leadership of Joe Schmidt and
(20:21):
Tom Gordon. To longtime employees Joe Smid thirty nine years,
Tom Gordon forty nine years who were on my program
Monday Night last Monday Night, were today terminated by market Basket.
We will continue right here on Nightside. I want to
get your reaction to it. Does it bother you or
will you continue to be a customer market Basket. I
(20:42):
think it's an interesting question. Six one, seven, two, five,
four to ten thirty six one, seven, nine, three thirty
Coming back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Right.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Thank you very much, Dan. Walking by the way, if
you would like to hear the interview that I conducted
with Tom Gordon and Joe Smith Joe Schmidt excuse me
a week ago on Monday in the nine o'clock hour,
and there have already been two thousand and six downloads
(21:22):
of that one podcast. That is the That's a huge
number for a single podcast download, A huge number. All
you have to do is go to nightside on demand
dot com and you will find it UH, and you
can listen to what and make your own judgments as
(21:44):
to how professional. Joe Schmidt and Tom Gordon Joe Schmidt,
a thirty nine year old manager with market Basket chain
wide manager and Tom Gordon, a forty nine year old veteran,
also a manager. UH and they were terminated today and apparently,
(22:10):
according to the wife of Tom Gordon, the letter that
they received cited our program now again. I asked them
that night, I said, you're doing an interview. Does are
you fearful that this might put you I think, I
said in the cross heres of the current leadership of
market Basket uh. And both of them said, we're not fearful.
(22:33):
We're doing the right thing and we have our own integrity. Okay,
got a couple of lines one at six one seven, two, five,
four ten thirty and one at six one seven, nine thirty.
I know what you're gonna do. You're gonna wait until
about five minutes or twelve and you won't get on
dial now and I'll get you on. It's as simple
as that. That's the way it plays, folks. I got
to be honest with you, John and lemonster. John, you're
(22:54):
next on nightside. Thanks for calling in. How are you.
Speaker 7 (22:56):
What's mister Ray doing?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Uh? Mister Ray was my father and he's passed on me.
Is doing great?
Speaker 7 (23:04):
You all right? My neighbor worked there for forty five years.
He got cancer. He was retired. Arthur come up to
see him and he was the meet manager and John
pitch Highway and Fitchburgh. His wife worked there for forty
three years and she was the receiver at the Water
(23:24):
Street store, and he come up to visit him. Arthur's
goal was to have a hundred stores. And I think
the sisters and all them or somebody's fighting them that
they want to sell it. I guess somebody says they
wanted to sell it. They somebody said they wanted twelve
billion or they wanted fourteen billion for the business. Arthur's
(23:46):
soul and everything was in them stores. His goal was
for a hundred stores. And my neighbor used to work
with his father, Mike, and that guy come up to
see him when he was sick. And he was retired
for a few years before he come up there. Then
his wife retired, but at was a gentleman. That guy
is unbelievable. I can't believe that they're doing this to him.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
They're doing it to him, and they're also doing it
to his long time colleagues, people who had been his
most trusted advisors and supporters.
Speaker 7 (24:22):
So it's unbelievable. I just can't believe it. They're going
to band this from the stole, you won't be able
to go in.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Well, I don't know that this might not cause the
a repeat of the furor of twenty fifteen, the furor
that surrounded market basket. I remember the summer well, I
guess I'm mistake. Maybe it was twenty fourteen. I forget.
I think it was twenty fourteen when people boycotted. People boycotted.
Speaker 7 (24:51):
Yeah, notnbelievable.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
You know, I have nothing to do with that, and
I wouldn't suggest that or anything like that. It's up
to individuals to make whatever decision. I know. For me,
when I hear about long time employees being terminated unceremoniously
from an institution like that, that leaves a bad taste
(25:13):
in my mouth.
Speaker 7 (25:14):
But union and they just want to throw them all
out and start over, that's all.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
You wouldn't inspected because the two gentlemen who have just
been terminated were in the upper management of Arthur T's organizagement,
so they were they would not have had the union protections.
And of course when you're in that you know that stratosphere,
you you realize you don't have union protection.
Speaker 7 (25:42):
But he had a good he had a good goal
to keep their pensions and everything for these people. He
did everything he could for these people. And his goal
was one hundred stores. He's got I think ninety and
ninety one. His goal was one hundred. And he even
said that when you come and see my name.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yeah, well, thank you for that information. Doesn't surprise me.
That certainly has a one hundred has a nice ring
to it, a nice round number. John. I gotta keep
rolling here, gonna get.
Speaker 7 (26:09):
Thank you, Dan, Thanks John.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Thank you very much. And I'm with you. I feel my.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
Aunt always tell me to call.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
You well, thank you. This is your first time.
Speaker 7 (26:18):
Calling No, no, no, this is about the fourth time.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Well, good you keep it up.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
Okay, thank you Dan very much, Bye, pleasure.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Thanks very much, six seven good night six one seven
thirty six one seven nine thirty And again, it's always
dangerous when you do a talk show to deal with
a story that is literally breaking, but it has been
broken today by the Boston Globe. John Cesto, great writer
for the Globe, great business writer, has written a piece
(26:46):
which would be I assume in tomorrow's newspaper that Market Basket,
the new board of directors has fired two of the
top lieutenants of Arthur T. De Mulis, accusing them of insubordination.
And perhaps some of that insubordination in the wood Fields
occurred on this very radio program a week ago last
night during the nine o'clock hour. If you want to
(27:07):
listen to that hour, just go to Nightside and demand
all our hours there in reverse order, meaning the most
recent hour that has posted his last and last night's eleven.
You got to roll back through Monday night, then Friday,
from last week, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, and then you get
to that nine o'clock hour, last time last Monday. Next up.
(27:29):
Let me go to Steve in Merrimack, New Hampshire. Steve,
I know Market Basket does have stores up in New Hampshire.
How are you, Steve good Dan?
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Then celebrating my birthday today.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Happy birthday, Happy birthday to streets to Steve.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
Thank you very much. I just joined your decade.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Yeah, well it's a pretty scary decade. And you're also
a July baby. So that's that's good too. Okay, let's
your take.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Okay, here's here's what I called last week. And I
was very fearful, just like you, that whatever Tom and
Joe said was going to be used against them. I
was shocked, but not surprised at what they did. This
is America, it's free speech. There was nothing that they said.
(28:18):
I listened to that interview from the beginning to the end.
There was nothing that was said in that interview that
would cause any problem for that board. A possible boycott
now they've got to I do think they have the
possibility of a boycott, because yeah there I mean, and
if they do a boycott, just like in twenty fourteen,
(28:40):
I'll be right there. I'll go shop somewhere else for
a while. I mean, that's the only thing they're afraid of.
The only thing that that board and the sisters are
afraid of is another boycott. I'm not sure, and I
really pray that they're not going to sell the company.
I mean, that would not be good for New England
in general. I love you know, you know how much
(29:01):
I love shopping there, just like you do. But you know,
you've got to treat your employees right. And you know,
basically there's so much acrimony between the Sisters and RDT
that anybody that's mixed up in it is going to
be on the outs with the It's what's.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Called it's what's called collateral damage. And exactly it's unfortunate,
and I feel very badly. Now again, I will tell
you that I knew we were going to have those
two gentlemen, Tom Gordon and Joe schmid On. I knew
of their relationship with the company. We also did invite
(29:38):
and it's a standing invitation to invite representatives of the
new group, because we're fair those that those invitations were extended.
They were not accepted, but that's a standing invitation. They
want to come on tomorrow night, that's fine. I certainly
now will have some real questions for them about why
(29:58):
would you take this action against such long term employees.
And again, this night Side and Demand is available. People
can listen to it. All you have to do is
go is nightside in Demand dot com and hear the
entire hour. I thought they conducted themselves very professionally, and
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
They were They were very nice about it. I mean
they I don't think that they went overboard or too
rebellious about what happened, but they you know, between your show,
which a lot a lot of important people listen to
your show. I think you know that. And also the
Boston Goal, everybody reads that paper, you know, virtually in
(30:38):
the whole area. It's not going to go over well.
I mean, they're setting themselves up for a disaster if
this thing starts to blow up in their face. And
I'm very afraid that that's what's going to happen, because
the employees, they're not going to appreciate, you know, having
people fired just because they you know, had your SHD.
I mean, that's what it comes down to you. It
(30:59):
wasn't anything they say. It's the new effect that they
called your show in the first place. That's what they
were on.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Just so you know, they were on my show as guests.
Technically it may not make a difference, but it wasn't
as if they both happen to call in simultaneously. They
were scheduled as guest that night. I thought they presented
themselves well, and they didn't say anything that I thought
was inappropriates.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
Put it like that, and Rdiet he should get the
credit for the last eleven years for bringing the store
where it is right now, and his management team are
front and center right there with him. So for them
to disparage that team because they just have some kind
of an animosity within their family is just not the
(31:45):
way to do it. I mean, they're they're really setting
themselves up for a real problem that they didn't want
to have, and that boycott all once it starts, it's
really hard to stop it. That's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
I mean, they had that experience in twenty fourteen, and
they I think, let me just say this, I don't
want to appear in any way, shape or form as
someone who's advocating anything, because that's not my role. I
will say this. I think that the temperature on this
this family dispute has just risen substantially because now it's
(32:22):
not just family members who are being hurt, it's two loyal, longtime,
loyal employees who between the two of them, gave mins
of service.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Now, my question is, if you're willing to fire Jo
Schmidt and Tom Gordon, why didn't they file fire r
et right now? I mean, why are they waiting? I
mean it looks like you know, anything that has to
do with them. You know, they're they're just going to
try and you know, get rid of that individual, whether
they're a current or former employee.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Well, it looks like stock. So I mean they they
may be able to fire him as I don't know
what his status is as an employee. I don't know
if he is still an employee technically. These gentlemen told
me they were, they were suspended without pay, and now
they have determinated, so we know what that difference is. Steve.
(33:14):
I hate to do this to you because it was
a great call. Thank you so much, and we will
talk soon, but I've got to move on to a
commercial break and wrap the show. But we may talk
about this again tomorrow as well. Thank you, Steve, appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Thanks you.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
The reason I say that, folks, is that a lot
of you today probably are saying, what is he talking about? Well,
the Boston Will just has broken a story that today
Market Basket, the new board of Masket. Market Basket fired
two of the top executives loyal to Arthur T. Demolis
and They happen to be two individuals who were guests
on this program a week ago last night, so this
(33:51):
is eight days later. Uh, and Joe Schmidt, who worked
for thirty nine years with this company, and Tom Gordon,
who worked for forty nine years. Between the two of them,
ninety years. I got room for a couple more calls.
I will be very surprised, even though this is a
breaking news story that my audience can't keep pace with
breaking news six one, seven, two, four, ten, thirty six,
(34:13):
one seven, nine, three, one, ten, thirty will get everybody
in light them up. Coming back after.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
This, It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
They are gonna wrap the hour here. Let's go next
to Bill in Pennsylvania. Bill, I know you don't have marsket.
I don't think you have market basket stores in Pennsylvania,
but welcome.
Speaker 5 (34:35):
Nonetheless, are you doing Dan, Yeah, I'm in Pennsylvania, but
I live in Maine. Oh okay, So I send you
an email a bit ago. Uh on this subject. I
said back at twenty to you back at twenty fourteen,
and I'll say it now, keep an eye on the warehousing.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Uh. I don't know what that means. Explain what that means.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
If they decide to outsource a warehousing to a separate company.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Okay, and you kind of you that's a little inside baseball.
I don't really know what that what what the significance
of that is built.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
Well, market Basket has an awesome warehouse crew. They make
the best of it. They actually try to get this
stuff in where from the last thirty years I've been
on the road, I dealt with nightmares. I'm trying to
deliver the grocery stores, and okay, market Basket has been
(35:37):
awesome my entire career.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Fair enough, Okay, Now I understand it's like a little
it's it's like talking, you know, inside baseball to a
baseball manager who says, you know, you know, you got
to make sure you get balance in your bullpen. You know,
the average person is, what are you talking about. We
got to have a couple of lefties out there and
a couple of rightings. You gotta have some balance. You know,
you kin'd of have all rightings or are all left
(36:00):
But we'll say, does this move surprise you or no?
Speaker 5 (36:07):
I think the same game is going on with the
trying to outsource the warehousing and I'll tell you you
remember Purity Supreme.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
I do remember them.
Speaker 5 (36:15):
Yeah, that's exactly what they did right before they went
belly up.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Okay, well we will keep an eye out on it. Bill.
Thank you much. I appreciate it. I got sneak in here.
I didn't realize. Hey, I got a couple of bills
in Pennsylvania. I wasn't wich sure that which which one
this was. But thank you.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Take care. Dan.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
Let me go to ken and Waldam Ken you next
time nights.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
I go right ahead, Hi, Daniel.
Speaker 9 (36:41):
I think I'm stating the obvious, but there's certainly things
to be the kind of the poster child for its
showing effect. Right, two managers are pure on your show,
and these are the two guys who get fired. And
it seems unlikely did Market Basket people are going to
be talking to the press anytime.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Mind. Is something that is according to the the spouse
of one of the men, is that in the letter
the Globe article John Cesto's piece did not refer to
their appearance on Nightside, which I thought that's a possibility
because they had been here only a week ago on
Monday night. She told me then in the letter that
(37:21):
her husband received. There was a specific refer reference to
her appearance on Nightside. Again, I listened that night as
I interviewed them, and I thought they comported themselves very well.
There was nothing that they said that I thought was
out of the way if you know what I'm saying or.
Speaker 9 (37:37):
Inappropriate right, well, that's it doesn't really matter right to
the to the new board. It sounds like potentially anyway.
And the only the only other point I wanted to
make is it sounds like, you know, potentially to you
and your show, maybe you know, become part of the story.
What to see what happens.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Well, we'll see. If people want to listen to the
to the hour with them, all they have to do
is go to Nightside and demand. They've already been twenty
one hundred and six people who listened and downloaded, and
I suspect many of them were Macro Basket employees. Nightside
does have a footprint, does have an impact, So be careful, folks.
(38:14):
You know the new Market Basket team, they may stir
up a hornets nest. I'm speaking only as one customer.
It will give me second thoughts, but there may be others.
Speaker 9 (38:26):
Yeah, damn, thanks very much and I'm gonna be number
twenty one oh seven, right, Thanks Jed.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
That was a Monday, last Monday night at nine pm,
so it was Monday night. Let's see the fourteenth, fourteenth
of July. Thanks Ken, I appreciate you lord for the show.
Thank you so much. We had done for the night.
Rob Brooks appreciate great job, Marita, excellent job. We'll continue
(38:53):
on all these stories tomorrow. Stay with us. Tell you
friends about nights Side. All dogs, all cats, all pets
go to heaven. That's my pal Charlie ray Is, who
passed fifteen years ago in February. That's where all your
pets are who were passed. They loved you when you
loved them. I do believe you'll see them again. Hope,
see you in tomorrow night on Nightside. I will be
on Facebook Nightside with Dan Ray with some interesting comments
in about two or three minutes. See you there, See
(39:14):
you tomorrow night. Everybody, have a great Wednesday.
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