Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of Wonder bread and Twinkies, said that it will begin permanently closing plants unless enough members of its striking bakery workers' union cross the picket lines to keep them open, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union went on strike Nov. 9 at some plants over what the union called the "unilateral imposition of a horrendous contract" rejected by 92 percent of its members. By late yesterday, the strike affected 23 of Hostess's 36 plants, the company said. Enough union members are crossing picket lines at about half of the struck plants to allow "full operations," the company said.
