I went foraging for food today. I went to Shaw’s. On my way past Market Basket there were employees that I’ve known for a long time out on Storey Avenue protesting with signs. And I honked like mad in support.
I talked to one of the employees at Shaws. The grocery store is scrambling to keep up with demand, and the gentleman thanked me for being patient and supportive of their effort to get food on the shelves for the folks in Newburyport. He also said that he fully supported the workers at Market Basket, and I quote:
“Once it’s no longer in the family and it becomes public, it’s all over.”
(And I remember Shaw’s when it went public. The prices there are now a whole lot higher than at Market Basket. And as I remember it, it didn’t used to be that way.)
Then I went over to Market Basket and took photos of the people protesting. Their spirits seemed to be much better today than they were yesterday. I think they really appreciate the local support, and the larger support for their effort.
I put my Shaw’s grocery slip in the window at Market Basket, I hope other folks do the same.
And one of my favorite photos is of a really sweet young lady holding a sign inside Market Basket, next to the photo or Arthur T, that says, “More for your dollar Family.”
For an explanation of what’s going on, my favorite is still Buzzfeed, “Mind-Blowing Pictures of Empty Shelves As Employees Protest Corporate Greed,” which can be read here. Yesterday’s post on the Newburyport Blog about Market Basket, “Newburyport, Market Basket, a PR Disaster,”can be read here.