Thousands in Somerville Sign Petition to 'Save' Market Basket

Customers of Somerville's Market Basket have joined over 40,000 other customers in New England by signing a petition to prevent the supermarket company's CEO, Arthur T. Demoulas, from being ousted by his cousin, Arthur S. Demoulas.

In signing the petition, customers are sending a message that they want Market Basket to stay the way it is. They fear if Arthur S. Demoulas gains control, prices will rise, stores will close and employees will be laid off.

John Pereira, an assistant front-end manager at Somerville's Market Basket, said he's personally collected nearly 1,000 signatures by standing outside the store. In Somerville, thousands have signed the paper petition, he said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, over 42,000 people had signed the petition online.

Pereira supported Arthur T. Demoulas' leadership, calling him a "great guy" and saying, "We love him." He said a change in leadership "would be a catastrophe for this company."

Market Basket is run by the Demoulas family, whose members have spent decades fighting with each other, according to the Boston Globe.

The supermarket chain has about 70 stores and 21,000 employees, the Globe said.

The Somerville location has between 300 and 400 employees, Pereira estimated.

The company's board of directors, composed of Demoulas family members, was scheduled to meet on Thursday to vote on whether or not to fire Arthur T. Demoulas as CEO.