Posted on 11/12/2012 4:28:22 PM PST by mdittmar
Irving, TX – November 12 - Hostess Brands Inc. announced today that it will permanently close three bakeries today as a result of a nationwide strike initiated on November 9 by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (Bakers Union) that has prevented the facilities from producing and delivering products.
"Our customers will not be affected because we will continue to serve them from other Hostess Brands bakeries, but sadly this action will result in the permanent closure of three facilities and the loss of 627 jobs," said Hostess Brands CEO Gregory F. Rayburn. "We deeply regret this decision, but we have repeatedly explained that we will close facilities that are no longer able to produce and deliver products because of a work stoppage – and that we will close the entire company if widespread strikes cripple our business."
The bakeries to be closed are located in Seattle, St. Louis and Cincinnati. The Seattle facility employs 110 people and produces Hostess cake products; the St. Louis facility employs 365 people and produces Hostess cakes, Nature's Pride and Wonder breads; the Cincinnati facility employs 152 people and produces Butternut, Beefsteak Wonder breads.
"Some employees are apparently under the misimpression that if they force Hostess to liquidate, another company will buy our bakeries and offer them employment," Rayburn said. "The fact is, the bakery industry already has far too much capacity, and there is a strong risk that many of our facilities may never operate as bakeries again once they are closed. I believe the leadership of the Bakers Union knows this fact, but is willing to sacrifice its Hostess employees for the sake of preventing other bakery companies from asking for similar concessions."
Rayburn continued: "That hardest part of the decision to close any facility is knowing that it will result in the loss of jobs for those Hostess Brands employees who did not support the strike and who wanted to help revive the Company," Mr. Rayburn said. "They didn't ask for these strikes, but they are paying a terrible price for them."
Additional information about the Company's labor issues can be found at www.hostessstrike.info.
About Hostess Brands
Founded in 1930 and based in Irving, Texas, the Company's products include iconic brands such as Hostess®, Wonder®, Nature's Pride®, Dolly Madison®, Drake's®, Butternut®, Home Pride® and Merita®. Hostess Brands has approximately 18,300 employees and operated 36 bakeries, 565 distribution centers, approximately 5,500 delivery routes and 570 bakery outlet stores throughout the United States.
A man and his wife had the good fortune to possess a goose which laid a golden egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they were not getting rich fast enough, and, imagining the bird must be made of gold inside, they decided to kill it. Then, they thought, they could obtain the whole store of precious metal at once; however, upon cutting the goose open, they found its innards to be like that of any other goose.
Aesop's Fables
Gonna buy a box of those Hostess Raspberry Filled Powdered Donuts tomorrow with my coffee,yummy!
Gov. Christie is deeply saddened.
Who’s the union steward? What a Ding Dong!
Just make sure it wasn't made in Seattle, St Louis, or Cincinnati.
Seriously, this seems to be happening a lot recently. Are these the first shots of the revolution?
The Obama method is to give the Unions taxpayer money with which to operate and call it ‘Employee owned business’. No risk to their assets, all reward!
Too bad about those jobs lost in St. Louis.
is this company in Chapter 11 right now??
If I was them I’d close them all, take my money to a tax friendly country and lay on the beach. Every once in a while I’d take out a full page ad in every town where I had bakeries with a pic of me on the beach with a little umbrella drink and say “F you, you don’t have a job or Twinkies and I get to sleep in every day thanks to you and your pinko friends”
I wonder what Obama will rename Directive 10-289?
If I was them I’d close them all, take my money to a tax friendly country and lay on the beach. Every once in a while I’d take out a full page ad in every town where I had bakeries with a pic of me on the beach with a little umbrella drink and say “F you, you don’t have a job or Twinkies and I get to sleep in every day thanks to you and your pinko friends”
Hope the afl cio has plans in place to take care of it members for the long haul.
Ping
Yea, unemployment, food stamps, free phone, etc...
Yep,gonna shut down and reorganize,without the Federal Government.
All your bakeries are belong in Texas
Not too smart to go on strike against a company in bankruptcy.
When I was a child in St Louis in the 60’s, we used to take field trips to the Wonderbread factory evert year. Sad to hear it closing after all these years because of union greed.
Yep, freaking Obama voters are stupid
I used to work in a bakery.
I was a pilot.
;)
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