Hostess Deadline To Workers Passes Without News Of Closure.



IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) – It’s been less than a week since Hostess Brands workers went on strike, and they were given an ultimatum until 4 p.m. Thursday to get back on the job.

But as the deadline came and went, no news came from the company on what the future had in store for the grocery store staple snack cake company.

In an email to CBSDFW.com Thursday a Hostess spokesman said they would probably not be announcing anything on the deadline or the future of the company until Friday morning.

But in a statement to CBS News, another spokesman said some striking employees returned to work in advance of the deadline, but said it wasn’t clear if enough employees werre back on the job to forestall a liquidation filing.

Hostess, the maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, is reportedly more than $860 million in debt.

Officials with the Irving-based company said they will file a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and liquidate the entire business if enough employees don’t return to work.
In a statement released Wednesday, Hostess CEO Gregory Rayburn said, “We simply do not have the financial resources to survive an ongoing national strike.” The company sought bankruptcy protection, for the second time in eight years, back in January.

The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union (BCTGM) went on strike November 9. Striking workers have shut down production at more than half of the company’s 36 plants.

In response to the strike Hostess permanently closed three bakeries earlier this week. The closures will send more than 600 workers, in Seattle, St. Louis and Cincinnati, to the unemployment line. If Hostess follows through with the company liquidation an estimated 18,000 jobs will be lost.

With the strike and bakery closures Hostess said work at 13 plants has been slowed to the point of being unsustainable.

The largest union working for Hostess, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, narrowly voted to a labor deal with the company – a move Hostess says will save them some $200 million a year. Today Teamsters said BCTGM members should vote by secret ballot to decide if they’ll continue to strike or force the company into liquidation.
Rayburn said, “It is now up to Hostess’ BCTGM represented employees and Frank Hurt, their international president, to decide if they want to call off the strike and save this Company, or cause massive financial harm to thousands of employees and their families.”

The final contract offer made included slashed wages, commissions, and pensions. Union officials had said they waned executives to share in the hardship caused by the company bankruptcy.

According to the company website, if employees do not return to work by 4 p.m. the company will:

Hostess will file a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Friday, November 16, 2012 requesting to wind-down the Company and sell all of its assets;
Hostess has requested a hearing on the motion for Monday, November 19, 2012
Should the Hostess request to liquidate be granted, the company says they would begin the total shutdown of operations as early as November 20, and fire all workers except those needed to prepare its facilities for sale.

Just junk crap.
Stuff food stamps shouldn't cover anyways. Ghetto rats are fat enough as it is.

Let's see how many wind up in rehab cuz dey cain't get's dey fix on Twinkeys.

Ho-Hos will thrive wherever there is need for hookers.

yeah,, those ghetto rats and hookers eat that stuff

non criminal and non ghetto folk wont be similarly affected cause they dont touch the stuff,,,,

Michelle Obama should be happy.
Less fatening junk food on the shelves.

good point

honestly , less access to junk and fast food may be better in the longrun for everyone,,,

On that I have to agree with you.

The former employee's won't have jobs. Standing in the unemployment line, that should trim a lot of fat off.

thats true, its give and take,,,nothing is for free,,,

healthier americans would also put alot of doctors out of work

and less crime would put alot of police officers out of work

but Id say health and safety is more important than profit to most people

Ehhh, I'd have to say that having a job and feeding your family is more important than being in a union.

It is a win for health food nuts and good health.

Yesterday I had my last twinkie. It was not that good.

Yes, but you haven't gone into withdrawals yet.

Unemployment is like an Asian lover.

They pay chew long-time.

I get me a Ho-Ho once a month.

Id say having the good health to enjoy the family is more important than junk food or fast food, even if it means the minimum wage jobs they provide,,,

Where one company fails to provide, another one will step in and fill the vacancy.

There will be another twinkie soon. Look to Little Debbie. She makes nice twinkies.

They are called Cloud Cakes and they have been better than twinkies for a while now.

I reckon min. wage has taken a serious jump.

The average pay for a Hostess line worker is just under 17.00 an hour.

Yes, and Little Debbie products have a shelf life of 27 years.

They are magical. They taste good too. And they are cheap.

Probably made in china.

it levels out

most entry level jobs in fast food and junk food are mimnimum wage

there are 'factory' type positions such as amazon, hostess, which pay a higher wage but work the employees on average fewer hours,, making the take home not THAT much more than full time min wage workers

I know because I have a relative working in an Amazon factory,,,