BIDDEFORD — “Shut it down, shut it down.” That was the chant by more than 100 people, members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union and their supporters at 5 p.m. last night on Precourt Street in Biddeford outside the Hostess Brands Inc. bakery.
Five o’clock Thursday was the cut-off time for BCTGM union members, employed by Hostess in Biddeford, and at other Hostess facilities across the country, to end their strike or face the closure of the company and the loss of their jobs.
Hostess Brands issued a statement early this morning saying that it had filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court asking permission to close its business and sell its assets.
Thursday night, workers in Biddeford and elsewhere stood strong at 5 p.m. and continued walking the picket line long after that deadline.
“We’re stocked up and in it for the long haul,” said John Jordan, the union representative for BCTGM Local 334 ”“ the local to which the Biddeford employees belong.
Hostess Brands said in the statement today that the company is unprofitable under its current cost structure.
“We deeply regret the necessity of today’s decision, but we do not have the financial resources to weather an extended nationwide strike,” said Gregory F. Rayburn, Hostess’ chief executive officer, in the statement. “Hostess Brands will move promptly to lay off most of its 18,500-member workforce and focus on selling its assets to the highest bidders.”
The decision will lead to the closure of 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centers, approximately 5,500 delivery routes and 570 bakery outlet stores throughout the United States, according to the statement. The company will also sell its brands, including Hostess, Drakes, Dolly Madison and Wonder Bread.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January, the second time in less than a decade.
While some workers Thursday night expressed concern about the possible closure of the Biddeford bakery, they said they don’t plan to return to work under the conditions Hostess has set.
The company tried to impose a new contract on its employees that includes an 8 percent pay cut, a loss in health benefits and an increase in insurance payments.
While members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the union representing the largest number of Hostess employees, approved the contract, 92 percent of BCTGM members voted against it.
Also at issue, said Jordan, is that the company stopped investing into a workers’ pension fund in July 2011. Workers said the company was stealing from them, because the money for the pensions comes for workers’ wages.
“The pension is the biggest thing,” said Nancy Orne of Saco, who has worked for the company for 13 years.
“We’ve lost too much already” to return to work under the conditions Hostess tried to impose, said Orne.
If the company liquidates, she said she’s prepared to look for another job.
“There’s gotta be something out there,” said Orne. “I’ve worked before (working for Hostess), and I’ll work again.”
“We’re all making sacrifices,” said Ken Squires of Biddeford, who has worked for Hostess for 11 years. But, he said, “We can’t let these guys keep stealing from us.”
“Nobody wants to lose their job,” said Ernest Curtin of Saco who has worked at Hostess for 14 years. But, like Squires he said, “They’re stealing our pension.”
“Shut it down,” said Curtain about the bakery. He said Thursday he hoped the company would liquidate and sell the Biddeford bakery to another company.
The way the company is currently being run, said Curtin, he didn’t believe Hostess would last long even if the BCTGM members returned to work.
Throughout the strike, there was an outpouring of support from other unions and the community.
People have donated food, money and even wood to keep wood fires going so strikers can warm themselves as the temperature drops.
Even students from Saco Middle School were holding picket signs in support of the strike. They included two of Hostess employee Curtin’s daughters and one of their friends.
“We’re helping support the strike,” said Ashley Curtin.
“We’re all brothers and sisters,” said an AFL-CIO member who works at General Dynamics in Saco, “we’re here for local support of the unions.”
“There’s always a concern” with a strike, said Jordan. But he said he’s hopeful that if Hostess closes, another baked goods company will buy the Biddeford plant. The bakery is fairly new and modern, and it has a trained workforce, he said. “We think we’re attractive.”
The BCTGM strikers in Biddeford are well stocked and prepared to hold the line until the lights go out, said Jordan.
The wind down means the closure of all the companies facilities, according to the statement. The company’s motion asks the court for authority to continue to pay employees whose services are required during the wind-down period.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com. Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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