On Friday, Nov. 2, the manager of the Wiscasset Shaw’s Supermarket, Michael Aripez, had the sad duty of telling some of his full-time employees they no longer had jobs.

Although Aripez made no comment as to how many in the Wiscasset store received layoff notices, it is alleged the store laid off five full-time employees.

One of those five, Sylvia Pelletier, had worked at Shaw's for 31 years. “It was quite a shock to be given that information after so many years. It was a total shock.”  

Although the news was devastating, Pelletier maintained a positive attitude. “I will be able to collect unemployment and that will keep us going for awhile, until I find another job,” she said.

Pelletier said she was was not told how the choices were made as to who would stay and who would go, but some employees affected have not been with the company for very long. However, she wondered if she was laid off because of her age.

On Monday, Rockland Shaw's manager Amy Almecy called Pelletier and offered her a position there as a full-time employee with benefits. Pelletier accepted the position, and will commute from Westport Island to Rockland.

Monday was a better day than Friday for Pelletier, but she could not help but be concerned for the fate of the other laid-off employees.

Gina Mehrl is another employee Shaw's laid off November 2. Mehrl has been with Shaw’s since the Wiscasset store opened 8 years ago. “I have no ill feelings about anyone at the store in Wiscasset. It was corporate that made the decisions.”

In to a press release issued November 2, Shaw's President Mike Stigers said, “A decision of this nature is never easy, but after careful evaluation, it is unfortunately the necessary step for us to take to help improve our business, reduce expenses and reinvest in more customer-facing initiatives.” The same press release said Shaw’s Supermarkets were reducing their workforce by an estimated 700 positions.

Shaw’s Media Relations Manager Steve Sylven would not say how many Maine employees are affected by the reduction, or the amount of people laid off at specific stores. However, he did say all 22 Shaw’s store in Maine were affected by the layoffs. “We are not disclosing the number of Maine employees being laid off,” Sylven said. “All 169 stores in New England have been affected by this very difficult decision, but a necessary decision because it impacts associates who contributions are valued and appreciate,” Sylven said.

On Monday afternoon, Sylven said all employees at the 169 Shaw’s stores that are affected by this massive layoff had been notified.   

When Sylven was asked how Shaw's determined who would be laid off in the New England stores (since some of those stores have union representation and some do not) he said there are no union stores in Maine.

Sylven said layoffs were made in accordance with the seniority provisions of the collective bargaining agreement in union stores. In non-union stores, these layoffs were made in accordance with the company’s internal practices, taking into account the needs of each store and department as well as the tenure of impacted associates.