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Grocery workers rally for fired chief executive

Protesters holding "Arthur T" signs taunt an occupant of a car driving from a Market Basket Supermarket job fair in Andover, Mass., Monday, Aug. 4, 2014. The company set up a job fair for its workers to replace colleagues who walked off the job to protest the firing of CEO Arthur T. Demoulas. Executives at the troubled Market Basket supermarket chain in New England stepped up their efforts to fight back against a workers' revolt and customer boycott that have paralyzed the company and drawn attention for their unusual demand to reinstate the previous CEO. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Protesters holding "Arthur T" signs taunt an occupant of a car driving from a Market Basket Supermarket job fair in Andover, Mass., Monday, Aug. 4, 2014. The company set up a job fair for its workers to replace colleagues who walked off the job to protest the firing of CEO Arthur T. Demoulas. Executives at the troubled Market Basket supermarket chain in New England stepped up their efforts to fight back against a workers' revolt and customer boycott that have paralyzed the company and drawn attention for their unusual demand to reinstate the previous CEO. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

By Associated Press August 5, 2014 1 min read

TEWKSBURY, Mass. (AP) – Thousands of workers at the troubled New England supermarket chain Market Basket are rallying to pressure management to reinstate the company’s former chief executive or accept his offer to buy it.

Employees say they expected up to 15,000 employees, customers and supporters at Tuesday’s rally outside a Market Basket store in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.

The family-owned chain has been in turmoil since June, when a board controlled by Arthur S. Demoulas fired his cousin, CEO Arthur T. Demoulas.

Hundreds of warehouse workers and drivers have refused to deliver food to the chain’s 71 stores for two weeks, leaving store shelves empty and sending customers elsewhere.

Workers are hoping Arthur S. Demoulas’ side of the family will accept an offer from his cousin to buy the company.