The saga of the Demoulas family and their Market Basket supermarket chain is complete with warring cousins and families. It's like something from a Shakespeare play.

Nearly 100 years ago, Arthur Demoulas opened a grocery store in Lowell, Mass. It grew into a regional supermarket empire. He had two sons, each of whom had families, warring for a long time for control of that empire. One grandson, Arthur S. Demoulas, ousted the current president, his cousin and namesake Arthur T. Demoulas. The problem is most of the 25,000 employees and thousands of customers have stood together, saying "no way." Arthur T. is someone they admire and gladly work for. Not so, Arthur S. and his directors and newly installed co-chief executive officers.

Demoulas Market Basket is not a public company. It's one of the oldest family-owned businesses in the United States, which means that the stores, and the $4.6 billion in revenue they generate, are all controlled by the Demoulas family. Family members accuse one another of greed, drug abuse and extramarital affairs. Ultimately, a judge ruled in favor of the Arthur S. side of the family. They were given 51 percent of the company, a controlling share.

But, wait, there's more.

One member of the Arthur S. family wouldn't fall in line and voted instead to support Arthur T. It was with her vote that Arthur T. became president, a post he held until a month ago, when she changed her vote in June. All hell broke loose.

Employees at Market Basket stores have been very supportive of Arthur T. because he has always treated them so well. They love working for him and feel the whole feud is about money and unrestrained greed.

How is Market Basket going to replace and train 25,000 people, or even half that number? It can't. At least, not in time to save the firm from hitting the wall and crashing and burning.

Here's the thing that makes this case so different and so important: A very large group of workers have stood up to be heard against a very small group of directors, and they've gone public with their "revolt." To my knowledge, it's the first time in America that workers have stood together against directors they feel are way too greedy and have too little concern for the people who make it work. That has been seen before in our country, but never like this. Twenty-five thousand people (that's the equivalent of a small city) have realized that they greatly outnumber the few at the top. Hey, there's more of us than them! They have come to understand they have real power if and when they act en masse. That's a revolution. And, that's a revelation not often seen, if at all.

Market Basket employees have started something far bigger than themselves. This is being watched nationwide.

No one really knows where this will all go. But, it's going! Stay tuned.

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