One Market Basket in Massachusetts suspended 47 immigrant employees after conducting an audit of their job applications.

Activists in a Massachusetts city are calling on protection after 47 employees were suspended from a Market Basket.

In a statement, Market Basket board of directors said the terminations came as a result of a recent internal investigation that found the two supervisors engaged in “insubordination, making false and derogatory remarks about the company and people associated with it, and inappropriate communications with colleagues.”

Two Market Basket executives who were fired Tuesday say the move was part of an effort to silence employees who oppose changes the company's board of directors and some shareholders want to make to the company.

Two former top executives at Market Basket and allies of CEO Arthur T. Demoulas spoke out on July 23 about their recent firing.

New Bedford activists are calling on protection after 47 employees were suspended from a Market Basket. "They noticed that many of the employee at market basket they don't have documents," Adrian Ventura,