Three members of Market Basket’s board of directors want the company to “get back to work,’’ according to a statement made public on Saturday. The statement serves as the latest volley between the board and ousted CEO Arthur T. Demoulas.

On Friday, the board proposed a solution where Demoulas and his former executive team could help resolve the standoff that has left supermarket shelves empty and many employees without paychecks. Demoulas responded through a spokesperson later Friday, dismissing the “disingenuous’’ offer and calling it a negotiating ploy.

The Independent Directors of the Demoulas Board of Directors seemed to hint in the statement that Demoulas, who was fired by the board in June, bears some of the responsibility for the company’s current state of relative inactivity.

Business negotiations should not prevent our Associates from earning a living or our customers from buying groceries. It is wrong to hold everyone hostage to gain a negotiation advantage. Let’s end the hostage-taking and get together to work at finding common ground.


A statement posted to the Save Market Basket Facebook page placed the blame for “work stoppage’’ on Arthur S. Demoulas, Arthur T.’s rival and cousin who controls the board of directors.

“Do you really think ATD’s management team would come back to help you stabilize the company while you negotiate with others?’’ read the statement that used a shorthand reference to Arthur T. Demoulas. “Take ATD’s offer to come back as CEO with his team and we will stabilize the company, the associates and customers will come back.’’

NECN reported that Friday’s proposal to Arthur T. was met with skepticism by some Market Basket employees who believe the former CEO is being asked to return to help stabilize the company before it gets sold to a buyer other than Arthur T.

“All they want to do is they really just want to build the company up again and then they just want to sell it to someone else, which I think is wrong,’’ cashier Laura Ghio told NECN.

Follow our coverage of the Market Baset dispute here.