Twinkies and the bakers union: don’t call it a comeback

by Paul Kersey Plans to reopen Hostess Brands bakeries, including one in the Chicago suburb of Schiller Park, are going forward. The company has announced that the Twinkie will make its glorious return on July 15. But while the reorganized Hostess is making what it calls “the sweetest comeback in the history of ever,” the bakers...

by Paul Kersey

Plans to reopen Hostess Brands bakeries, including one in the Chicago suburb of Schiller Park, are going forward. The company has announced that the Twinkie will make its glorious return on July 15. But while the reorganized Hostess is making what it calls “the sweetest comeback in the history of ever,” the bakers union won’t be able to call it a comeback at all. Hostess appears to have terminated its contract with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers union, and followed through on its plan to hire a new, non-union workforce.

The Twinkie was invented in River Forest, Ill.; but its future, along with the rest of Hostess’ snack lineup, was in jeopardy when the company went into a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012. The vanilla cream-filled cakes disappeared from shelves at the end of that year when the bakers union called a strike and the company responded by liquidating. A new investment team bought out the company’s assets, and has been preparing to resuscitate Hostess products – but will do so with fewer plants and a new workforce.

On the whole this is good news for Illinois, with as many as 1,400 workers finding jobs either at the bakery, or as sales representatives and delivery truck drivers. But for the old workforce, the news must be bittersweet, as a badly timed strike cost them the jobs they once had producing and distributing an iconic snack.

Walmart stores announced last week that they would be the first in the country to start selling the treats. Many Wal-Mart locations started selling the snacks Friday.