Guest Post My father is Allan Jussaume, the Store Director at Billerica #17. He has been a loyal, dedicated employee for well over 4 and a half decades. I have officially worked part-time for Market Basket for almost 18 years now, but unofficially I followed him to work ever since I could walk, so I have been a loyalist for 31 years. (Dad taught me how to sack groceries at the two express registers at #18 when I was 5 years old, and I was allowed to help stock the shelves and fill the bread on Sundays before the store opened in the afternoon.) My older sister Adrianne worked part-time as a cashier at #2 throughout high school and college, and in fact at the front-end of that store is where she met her now-husband who was a front-end sacker and later a dairy clerk. My two younger brothers Allan and Robert work part-time at #17 in the grocery and meat departments. My family’s way of life is the Market Basket way; I grew up in the culture where we work together and work hard so that we can be proud of what we accomplish as a team. My father is devoted to this company, and Mr. Demoulas Sr. and Artie T rewarded him for his honest work. We never went hungry, we were always safe, warm, clothed, and well-educated thanks to Dad’s steady pay checks and holiday bonuses. We were also able to enjoy the distinct luxury of having our Mother be at home to raise us and maintain everything on the home front. The Jussaume Family is a loyal part of the Market Basket family, and we are a proud supporter of ATD and his values of servant leadership, team work, dedication and generosity. The BOD’s vote last Monday to remove Arthur T, Mr. Rockwell and Mr. Marsden, and the resignation of more company leaders has broken our hearts. We are all having trouble sleeping, and we have lost our appetites…we are so sad and feel so lost and helpless. My father has worked alongside these key forces in the Market Basket family for longer than I have been alive, and he is so deeply angered by the fact that everything we have worked for decades to accomplish is being so easily dismissed and flushed down the drain by ASD, the BOD and the two new co-CEOs. He is so angry that he finds it hard to speak; how can one express such a deep-rooted emotion that ruthlessly attacks the Family and the way of life that you strive every day to create, maintain and preserve both at work and at home? Dads anger is something that we are *all* feeling right now. We share the hurt and sadness. But, more importantly, we also share hope and pride. We share the Market Basket spirit to which Artie T and his father have devoted their lives to fostering in every employee, customer, vendor, charity and community. I pray several times a day and every night with my husband that the Market Basket Family is restored, with its rightful leaders in place. Please pray and do what you can to show support...sign the petition, write to the BOD, make your voice loud and proud in support of Artie T. Thank you!! Katie Jussaume Destroismaison
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 00:23:39 +0000