Wonder Bread has a Bridgeport location at Wells and Housatonic. From AP and CT Post:
Hostess Brands Inc. has notified Connecticut that layoffs are possible by mid-December as the snack food company faces a nationwide strike by bakers.
The maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread filed notice with the state Department of Labor on Tuesday that an unspecified number of workers could lose their jobs.
The Connecticut Post reports nearly 200 jobs are at stake, including drivers, mechanics, thrift store employees and others in Bridgeport, Cheshire, East Windsor, Norwich and Uncasville.
Hostess, based in Irving, Texas, operates 36 bakeries nationwide and has about 18,300 employees. It has warned that the strike by about 30 percent of its workforce could lead to bakery closures.
The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union went on strike Nov. 9 to protest cuts to wages and benefits in a contract offer.
There have been news reports of a run on grocery stores in Bridgeport by people looking to hoard their Twinkies and Hostess Cupcakes.
This would be a great opportunity for Bridgeport and Warren All U Can Eat Buffet to buy this gastronomical asset in Bankruptcy Court. As we all know we sure do have an awful bunch of Twinkies in town and plenty of Ho … Ho’s!
With this acquisition of Wonder Bread we could build up our city in twelve ways. I used to love that sweet smell of that bread being baked on Housatonic Avenue.
Let’s make some dough!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
I always wanted to try a deep-fried Twinkie!!!
This can’t be true!!!
Deep-fried Twinkie
A deep-fried Twinkie involves freezing the cake, dipping it into batter, and deep-frying it to create a variation on the traditional snack cake. It was described by a New York Times story in this way: “Something magical occurs when the pastry hits the hot oil. The creamy white vegetable shortening filling liquefies, impregnating the sponge cake with its luscious vanilla flavor … The cake itself softens and warms, nearly melting, contrasting with the crisp, deep-fried crust in a buttery and suave way. The pièce de résistance, however, is a ruby-hued berry sauce, adding a tart sophistication to all that airy sugary goodness”. The Texas State Fair had introduced the fried Twinkie to great popular acclaim, and the notion spread to other state fairs across the U.S., as well as some establishments that specialize in fried foods. Fried Twinkies are sold throughout the U.S. in fairs as well as ball games.
Another classic example of my contention UNIONS STINK!!!
Not as bad as your booze breath, pal.
Did you forget your “incident” in Ohio?
Terrible news. Losing these major American icons is a great loss for western civilization! Forget about the fiscal cliff, US Treasuries’ downgrade, downfall of CIA chief, Bridgeport curfew debate, charter revision and rising sea levels! Eating these comfort snacks formed the background of our culture, and in a panic, many snack packages are selling now for over $60 on EBay: packages of Ring Dings, Yodels, Devil Dogs, Yankee Doodles, Sunny Doodles, Funny Bones and coffee cake.
It amazes me the union would be so stubborn and risk losing these jobs. Everyone has had to bite the bullet during these tough economic times.
I remember Carpenter Steel here in Bridgeport, the union didn’t think the company would close the plant over union negotiations. Well they did and out in the street went a few hundred workers just like that. This crap makes no sense.
Andy,
Interesting point of view. I heard a union worker on NPR this afternoon indicating they had taken three haircuts or givebacks in recent rounds of negotiations and almost a fourth.
Someone else on morning radio indicated management may have been too content and not gone forward with marketing opportunity.
Whatever really went on, too many job losses that will have ripple effect in the community. These are reality checks for all to consider. They will have an affect on ability to pay for current lifestyle and maintain commitments for debt repayment, mortgages, education expense and consumer spending in families. Is this what shifting into reverse feels like? Time will tell.
I was stunned by this announcement. Why would a union that is supposed to be representing its members go so far as to cause them to lose their jobs? They have failed their members miserably. That in itself is tragic, but the loss of an American “classic” due to a union’s failure to protect their members’ best interests is now causing a loss of a company that has been around forever. Who among us hasn’t enjoyed their treats? I still do! I remember as a youngster putting a Ring-Ding in the freezer and it was better than an ice cream sandwich. This is devastating news for a two-fold reason. I certainly hope the company reconsiders.
I’m sure Bill Finch and Adam “Pecker” Wood did all they could to keep this particular Humpty Dumpty from crashing to the pavement of reality. When all is said and done the corporation decided they’d had enough of dealing with intransigent union stewards. The company has been in Chapter 11 since last year, for God’s sake. They’ve been trying to restructure. The rank and file employees were given an opportunity to reclaim their jobs at 5:00 PM yesterday. The union reps played their hand badly. Now everyone is out of a job.
Unions still stink. In this case, badly.
Everyone seems to miss that a union cannot tell management how to manage or mismanage their company. The whole story has not come out about how the company got to this point, I’m sure. Various media outlets have been running stories about how the unions associated with this company have agreed to previous concessions. It’s sad this company is shutting down, but it might be because they failed to keep up with the competition.
One of Hostess’ problems was their product was overpriced, especially in inner-city markets. Unions may be in bed with bosses in many cases and often price themselves into oblivion, but those that fight against corporate and Wall Street power usually do not fare well in media reports. Article from The Sacramento Bee sheds a little more light: “BCTGM [Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers’ International Union] members are well aware that as the company was preparing to file for bankruptcy earlier this year, the then CEO of Hostess was awarded a 300 percent raise (from approximately $750,000 to $2,550,000) and at least nine other top executives of the company received massive pay raises. One such executive received a pay increase from $500,000 to $900,000 and another received one taking his salary from $375,000 to $656,256.”
Read more here: www .sacbee.com/2012/11/13/4983174/hostess-continues-pattern-of-misinformation.html
I wouldn’t want to be looking for a well-paid job these days. And as taxpayers, we will be covering the costs of the pension plans that so many were working towards via the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corp.
*** I’ll miss those “Funny Bones” with milk! Hope another company steps in and takes over with better planning for the future of the business and workers, no? *** DING DONG ***
How about the state and city cutting back on the Ring Dings and Twinkies in their “workforce” (now there’s an oxymoron).