BCTGM 'Extremely Disappointed' by Reports Hostess Brands Buyer Will Not Hire Union Members

AFL-CIO ^ | 4/26/2013 | Jackie Tortora

[mdittmar]

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) issued a statement today, responding to the sale of the iconic Twinkies brand.
 
In response to Metropoulos & Co. CEO C. Dean Metropoulos' statement to The Wall Street Journal that the company will not hire union workers when reopening four former Hostess Brands bakeries, BCTGM International President David B. Durkee issued the following statement on behalf of all BCTGM members:

The BCTGM is pleased to see that Hostess Brands LLC, the newly formed snack cake company created by Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Co, has announced that it will be reopening four Hostess bakeries to produce the iconic Hostess cake brands. Those four successful cake plants were represented by the BCTGM for many years under former Hostess ownership.

However, we are extremely disappointed to see negative statements from company executives about the union status of its future employees. Ideally, we would like to see as many of our members hired as possible. We believe their combination of experience, dedication and know-how will give the new owners the chance to get high quality snack cakes back in the marketplace.

Federal labor law governing the hiring process and the obligations for the employer and the rights of the future employees in this situation is quite definitive. We expect that the new owners will respect the statutory rights of all workers during the hiring, startup and future of this new company.

The BCTGM remains focused on ensuring that the new Hostess Brands ownership understands that the snack cakes at the center of this new company are inextricably linked to the hands that make them—and have made them for generations. We know that our workers have a critical role to play in protecting and enhancing some of America’s most valuable consumer brands. We all want the same outcome: that the brands should prosper and endure. This is what the next stage of this saga is all about—implementing a new ownership and manufacturing structure worthy of the brands themselves and America’s manufacturing prowess.

Our members provide immense value to the new ownership with decades of experience, expertise and training. Not only have our members produced these quality products for consumers for generations, they know these bakeries inside and out. Our members are eager and willing to return to these snack plants and help usher in a new period of prosperity for Hostess snack cakes. 

It is our sincere hope that the new owners will fully recognize the tremendous value of hiring back our members. If, however, they do not want us as part of the future of this company, we will continue to fight for our membership through other avenues.

[mdittmar]

I work for a non union company,good pay,good benefits,7 weeks paid vacation.

The company is doing well,so are the employees.

[kcvl]

Jackie Tortora

I'm the blog editor and social media manager at the AFL-CIO. Interviewing union musicians was my introduction to the labor movement. My first job after graduating college was in Syracuse, New York, where I wrote and edited the International Musician, the monthly magazine for the American Federation of Musicians (AFM). Protecting Social Security and Medicare from benefit cuts brought me to Washington, D.C., where I spent two years as a new media coordinator at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. I came to the AFL-CIO in the summer of 2012, just in time to re-elect President Barack Obama. When I'm not tweeting about America's unions, it's likely I'm watching Syracuse basketball and football. 

[YHAOS]

“It is our sincere hope that the new owners will fully recognize the tremendous value of hiring back our members. If, however, they do not want us as part of the future of this company, we will continue to fight for our membership through other avenues.”

Such as?
Political harassment?
Picket lines obstructing traffic?
Bombings?
Arson?
Harassment against employees?
Physical assaults on employees?
What else?

[lurk]

“Hey, where’d the dog go?”, said the fleas.

[dennisw]

Isn’t that special!

[LibertarianLiz]

No offense to any union workers here but they would be idiots if they were to hire union workers. That’s how this whole thing began

Exactly! Hostess tried to come to an agreement with their unions and the unions refused. I have come to think that people who are in unions do not believe that the same realities that affect our lives should affect theirs.

I remember when everything went ker-fluey, and what did the Boeing Machinists do? They went on strike. People losing jobs left and right. People, like my hubby, whose 401K became a 201K. And, the union at Boeing decided it was a good time to strike. After that strike ended, Boeing moved part of their operations to a right-to-work state and opened a non-union plant. The union people here in the Seattle area were outraged. Honestly, what did they think was going to happen? The economy is in the tank, people are losing their jobs everywhere; but, you should get a big raise 'cause, why? You are in a union?

So, I just don't get the mind-set of these people. They seem to be at war with the people who hire them, and they always believe they are worth more money, even if the world around them is crumbling.

[Lazamataz]

BCTGM 'Extremely Disappointed' by Reports Hostess Brands Buyer Will Not Hire Union Members

Why, so you could destroy this company too?

They won't hire you? GOOD, BITCHES.

SUFFER.

[deweyfrank]

Any bets on how long it will be before the NLRB, EPA, or some other Gov’t. agency puts a halt to this?

[MHGinTN]

Put down the cookies and back away from the computer.

[Fzob]

It is our sincere hope that the new owners will fully recognize the tremendous value of hiring back our members. If, however, they do not want us as part of the future of this company, we will continue to fight for our membership through other avenues.

Anyone that has ever worked with unions knows the above is a not so subtle threat. There will be trouble.

[stephenjohnbanker]

This is tailor made for Obama to cause some trouble with.

[Vaquero]

Bakery, Confectionery, Torpedo Wankers and Goat Munchers(BCTGM) can KMA in Macy’s window. They rode a good company into the ground and now they are outta work. Good on them. Let em eat scab twinkles.

[Amendment10]

Thank you for referencing that article mdittmar.

Noting that the title of this thread is the title of the article which was likely written under supervision of union bosses, the title is misleading imo. I think that the Hostess brands buyer probably doesn't have major problems with union workers. I think that a more honest title for the article is the following.

BCTGM 'Extremely Disappointed' by Reports Hostess Brands Buyer Will Not Deal With Greedy Union Bosses

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I want my Devil Dogs back. Is the purchase of Hostess a package deal with Drakes Cakes?

[GeronL]

different companies purchased different things

[Big Giant Head]

If they’re TRULY worried about all these experienced bakers and other skilled workers, they’d let them get rehired as NON-union so they could regain their job.

Won’t happen.

[Cyber Liberty]

Dumb question: Will the union forbid its members from working for the new company?

[fella]

And it ends with a out and out threat; "If, however, they do not want us as part of the future of this company, we will continue to fight for our membership through other avenues."

[Popman]

Federal labor law governing the hiring process and the obligations for the employer and the rights of the future employees in this situation is quite definitive.

Is he implying there is federal statues that say union thugs must be rehired?

[matt04]

Except in the mind of the Union leader ship and many members, it was all the companies fault.