READING, Mass. — Fired Market Basket executives are expected to share their side of why they were let go in a press conference on Wednesday.
The Market Basket Board of Directors said Joseph Schmidt and Tom Gordon were terminated for making false and derogatory remarks about Market Basket and had inappropriate communications with coworkers.
The board also alleges that after an internal investigation, they found the two men were encouraging a widespread work disruption reminiscent of the 2014 employee walkout.
Joseph Schmidt, the Director of Operations, and Tom Gordon, the Grocery Director, were both terminated from their positions on Tuesday.
Both were first suspended with pay on May 28 after allegations they were planning a work disruption to show support for suspended CEO Arthur T. Demoulas.
Market Basket said the investigation uncovered evidence that Schmidt and Gordon directly encouraged employees to slow down operations at the grocery stores and defy their supervisors.
The company also said Schmidt falsely told colleagues that if Arthur T. was removed as CEO, they would lose their bonuses and profit sharing.
The investigation highlighted comments about the Demoulas sisters, who are the majority shareholders in Market Basket.
They include Gordon saying, “The three girls are evil,” “choose sides wisely,” and “those three sisters are hell bent on getting the boss and his kids out of here, and we gotta stick together.”
Schmidt is quoted as telling one associate to “make sure[he] came out on the right side of this,” and told a subordinate, “You’ve got a wife and kids. I want to make sure you know to stay on the right side of this.”
The board said in a statement that Schmidt and Gordon had to know their behavior would lead to this result.
The two former executives plan to comment on the firings Wednesday morning at 10:30 at the Reading Market Basket location.
Market Basket CEO Arthur T. Demoulas is still on paid administrative leave.
Demoulas was put on leave in late May amid accusations that he had been considering leading a work stoppage that could upend stores across the region.
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