LA Times: Poor management, not union intransigence, killed Hostess
Below is an exerpt of the November 25th article written by Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times. Click here to read the full article. ...
25 November, 2012
Through the Eyes of a Union Member: The Slow Demise of an American Baking Company
The following story was sent to us by a retired BCTGM Local 24 member. It is a true account of a dedicated bakery worker who grew up in and with Interstate Bakeries Corp. (IBC), in its various forms. Like his father before him, he spent his career working hard and supporting his family with good wages and the protection of a union contract. And like his father, he watched as the company was mismanaged and...
21 November, 2012
BCTGM Joinder Submitted to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert D. Drain on Monday Morning
Today, 11/19/12, at 9:37 a.m. the BCTGM submitted the below document to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert D. Drain in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York, Hostess Brands Chapter 11 Case No. 12-22052 : JOINDER OF THE BAKERY, CONFECTIONERY, TOBACCO WORKERS AND GRAIN MILLERS INTERNATIONAL UNION IN OBJECTIONS TO DEBTORS’ EMERGENCY WINDDOWN MOTION AND MOTION PURUSUANT TO SECTION 1113(e) OF THE BANKRUPTCY CODE Click here to dowload the 16-page PDF...
19 November, 2012
Giving Thanks for Hostess Workers
Written by Richard Trumka for the Daily Kos This is the new American story, but someone finally stood up and said, “Stop!” Pundits should be applauding the Bakery Workers of Hostess Brands for standing up to Wall Street interests and standing for decent working standards and the middle class. The truth is that the Bain-style vulture capitalists invested in Hostess to profit not by making quality products, but by bleeding the company of every dollar before discarding it. They’re...
18 November, 2012
Hostess Demise a Decade in the Making
Download the full press release. Download an updated fact sheet. The following statement was issued by BCTGM International Union President Frank Hurt in response to the announcement by Hostess Brands that it would begin liquidation. “Hostess’s announcement that it is liquidating the company is a deep disappointment for all of our Hostess members. While Hostess management wants to blame our members for the demise of the company, the truth is that had it not been for the valiant...
18 November, 2012
Global Solidarity with BCTGM Members on Strike Against Hostess
More than 3,300 union members and activists from 125 countries have signed messages of solidarity sent through the IUF to the BCTGM members on strike against Hostess Brands. The IUF is an global federation of trade unions that represents workers employed in the agriculture, food and beverage and tobacco industries. The BCTGM is one of 336 trade unions from 120 countries that belong to the IUF, which represents more than 12 million workers. It is based in...
15 November, 2012
Hostess in Current Condition Because of Failed Management
The following statement was issued by BCTGM International Union President Frank Hurt in response to claims by Hostess Brands that it would begin liquidation should union members not end the strike and return immediately to production facilities: “The crisis facing Hostess Brands is the result of nearly a decade of financial and operational mismanagement that resulted in two bankruptcies, mountains of debt, declining sales and lost market share. The Wall Street investors who took over the...
15 November, 2012
American Crystal Boycott Continues for Locked-Out Workers
Below are photos of Locked-Out American Crystal Sugar workers handing out boycott information in the Red River Valley last week. Read more about their struggle here, and click here to sign the pledge to boycott American Crystal Sugar! ...
14 November, 2012
VIDEO: Striking Local 218 Members at Hostess Brands, Emporia, KS
14 November, 2012
Hostess Continues Pattern of Misinformation
In a desperate attempt to break the solidarity and resolve of striking BCTGM members across the country, Hostess Brands is falsely claiming that its decision to close three of its bakeries -- St. Louis, Cincinnati and Seattle -- is the result of the nationwide strike against the company by BCTGM members. In fact, according to the company’s 1113 filing with the bankruptcy court earlier this year as well as its last/best/final and non-negotiable proposal to its...
13 November, 2012
BCTGM Hostess Strike Shuts Down Major Production Plants; Workers Honor Pickets
On Friday, November 9 BCTGM members employed by Hostess Brands across the country began to strike. These workers, many of whom have worked at Hostess and its predecessor companies for decades, are on strike in response to the company’s unilateral imposition of a horrendous contract that was rejected by 92 percent of BCTGM Hostess workers in September. NEW:November 16 Fact Sheet NEW: November 16 press statement from BCTGM International President Frank Hurt November 15 press statement from BCTGM...
13 November, 2012
Statement by BCTGM International President Frank Hurt on President Barack Obama’s Re-Election
“The re-election of Barack Obama represents a major victory for this nation and working people. “President Obama has spent the past four years fighting to level the playing field for the American middle class. He has stood with working people and the labor movement time and time again on workers’ rights, workplace health and safety, job creation and economic growth. Today, that fight continues. Now it is time to stand with our President, united, to pursue...
07 November, 2012
5 Days Until the Election, Make Sure Your Vote Counts!
Here are SIX SIMPLE STEPS you can take on Election Day to protect your voting rights. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE LOCATION of your polling place and your correct precinct. Many have changed, and a vote at the wrong place may not be counted. BRING IDENTIFICATION TO THE POLLS, preferably a government-issued photo ID with your registered address. Check your state’s website NOW to ensure you have the proper ID. Several states have passed strict photo ID...
01 November, 2012
Dianda’s Bakery Celebrates 50 Years of Honored Traditions
[caption id="attachment_2463" align="alignleft" width="195" caption="Union Member and co-owner Sergio Flores has been a baker at Dianda's for more than 30 years."][/caption] Union bakers at San Francisco’s famous Dianda’s Italian-American Pastry Co. have been creating some of the city’s most loved cakes and pastries since the Mission district bakery opened its doors in 1962. What is the secret to their long success? Happy workers, time-honored recipes and loyal customers. This well-loved neighborhood bakery is renowned for its immense...
24 October, 2012
AFL-CIO and Working Families Launch Crystal Sugar Boycott
With the endorsement of the AFL-CIO, working families throughout the country have launched a nationwide consumer boycott of American Crystal Sugar products in response to Crystal’s Sugar 14-month lockout of 1,300 BCTGM members. The AFL-CIO noted that the boycott will be called off if the management of Crystal Sugar, which has denied its workers the opportunity to do their jobs, returns to the bargaining table in good faith and concludes a contract. This consumer boycott is part of the...
16 October, 2012