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Governors step into New England supermarket feud

By WTOP Staff

DENISE LAVOIE
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — As an employee revolt at a New England grocery store chain headed into its fifth week, the governors of Massachusetts and New Hampshire took the unusual step of personally stepping into negotiations aimed at ending a standoff threatening the future of the popular low-priced supermarkets.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan participated in negotiations Sunday with the owners of the Market Basket chain — feuding cousins Arthur T. Demoulas and Arthur S. Demoulas — as well as several other shareholders.

The chain has about 25,000 employees and 71 stores in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

A long-running feud between the two cousins culminated in the ouster of Arthur T. Demoulas as CEO in June. His firing prompted worker protests and customer boycotts that have brought the private company to a virtual standstill.

The company has lost millions of dollars over the last four weeks as warehouse workers have refused to make deliveries and customers have shopped elsewhere in a show of support for the employees, leaving the stores with only a trickle of business.

Arthur T. Demoulas has offered to buy the 50.5 percent of the company owned by his cousin and other relatives on his side of the family.

Heather Nichols, a spokeswoman for Patrick, said the two sides made “real progress” on the terms of the sale and operating control of the company during the negotiating session. She said the governors are encouraged that a resolution may be “within reach.”

Hassan’s press secretary, William Hinkle, said the governor is hopeful that the leaders at Market Basket can resolve the standoff.

“Market Basket is a significant business in New Hampshire, and its role as an employer for thousands of dedicated employees and as a provider of affordable groceries for its customers impacts our economy and communities in many ways,” Hinkle said in a statement.

Neither Demoulas cousin commented.

The company’s board of directors met Monday, but the board did not release any details on the status of negotiations.

Employees continued to picket near the company’s headquarters in Tewksbury.

The company’s troubles have trickled down to its suppliers. On Monday, one of the chain’s seafood suppliers said it has ended its business relationship with current Market Basket management.

In a letter posted on Facebook, Boston Sword & Tuna Chief Executive Tim Malley said his company suffered a significant loss in income after Market Basket warehouse workers stopped accepting deliveries. Malley said the company’s new management was sympathetic, offered to pay part of its losses and said they had already started hiring replacement staff for the warehouse.

“We think the time has nearly run out for saving this great institution and all those who depend on it. …In our opinion, the only way forward is for the fired associates to come back,” Malley wrote in the letter.

A spokesman for Market Basket said the shutdown of the warehouse and distribution system has affected all aspects of company operations, making it difficult for customers and vendors. The company is focused on trying to find solutions that address its distribution system.

Last week, the company warned warehouse workers to return to their jobs by Monday or face termination.

But Malley said that as the dispute dragged on, he watched as Market Basket’s new CEOs “made one incredible strategic blunder after another.” He said that after his staff complained to Market Basket about not receiving payments, his company was overpaid twice, once by about $83,000, and more recently, by more than $415,000.

Tom Trainor, a district supervisor who worked for Market Basket for 41 years before being fired last month for helping to organize the employee revolt, said that the approximately 300 warehouse workers and 65 drivers who have refused to make deliveries for the last month remained off the job Monday, despite the warning.

“They’re still solid. They are not coming back (to work) until ATD (Arthur T. Demoulas) comes back,” Trainor said.

“It’s definitely encouraging that the two governors have realized that they’re stakeholders in this. Having pressure from their offices is certainly welcomed by our wide,” he said.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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