Governors, ATD Expect Market Basket Deal Soon

Hassan, Patrick, Arthur T. all optimsitic a deal is on the horizon

Governors Maggie Hassan and Deval Patrick, along with Arthur T. Demoulas, say they're optimistic that the drawn out Market Basket dispute will finally come to an end.

Arthur T. submitted his final bid to buy Market Basket on Friday. The specifics regarding the details were not made known. Friday was said to be the deadline for the ousted CEO to submit his final offer.

Previously set offers and deadlines have come and gone, but this is the first time that local governors have put a specific timeline on a possible deal.

A meeting of the Market Basket board was scheduled for Saturday. It has since been postponed until Sunday or Monday at the latest.

Hassan of New Hampshire and Patrick of Massachusetts released a joint statement regarding the current situation Friday evening. An end to the ongoing feud seems to be imminent. 

“In briefings today, all parties report that they are optimistic that an agreement will be reached to sell the company to Arthur T. Demoulas and to restore him to operating authority on an interim basis until the sale closes. Subject to reducing their agreement in principle to writing by Sunday, the Board will forestall taking adverse employment action against the employees who have abandoned their jobs. We are hopeful that employees will return to work, and the stores will reopen, early next week.”

Arthur T.  responded in a statement released by a spokesperson. He expects his proposed purchase of the company to be finalized immediately.

"Having submitted his final bid on Thursday and heard the statement of the Governors this evening, Arthur T. Demoulas expects that this purchase can and should be finalized immediately.  The bid remains at full price and its terms are extremely favorable to the sellers. There is nothing that stands in the way of getting this done this weekend.  It’s time to complete this deal so we can all get back to doing what we love doing, and that is running Market Basket."

Workers were back out on the picket line Friday, protesting outside Market Basket headquarters in Tewksbury.

Even before the statement from the governors, with yet another deadline looming, there was hope from the protesters that a deal was in sight.

"Customers, vendors, employees, expect as soon as they make a deal, an agreement, (to go) back to work," said Carlos Ospina, who for 25 years, had been driving a forklift at the Market Basket warehouse.

Now, more than 5 weeks after workers walked off the job following the removal of Arthur T. as CEO, fired district supervisors are welcoming the news.

"I hope, I hope, and I'm so glad for that. That's what we're waiting for," Ospina said.

Joe Schmidt is among the fired supervisors hopeful if ATD is back, he'll be brought back too.

But his priority is getting the company back to where it was for its loyal workers and customers.

"It would be a great victory. It would get the 25,000 associates back to work which is most important. I know it's most important to me, but it's most important to the other people as well. As far as our fate, if Arthur T. Demoulas comes back and he asks to come back, we'll walk in that door with pride and dignity," Schmidt said.

The 71-store chain has lost millions of dollars amid the dispute. 

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