New Twinkies will be made union-free

Ah, enjoy the sweet, refreshing taste of the free market.

Via WSJ:

In February, before the $410 million sale to Metropoulos and Apollo was finalized, the president of the bakers union expressed confidence that his thousands of out-of-work members would find opportunity at the Hostess facilities once they were reopened by their new owners. President David Durkee said the strike had left the union in "a position of strength," and he expressed confidence its workers would get a better deal from the new owners than Hostess offered during the bankruptcy case, its second in recent years.

He added that the only way for the brands to have a "seamless restart" would be to hire back unionized bakers. "Only our members know how to get that equipment running," Mr. Durkee said. "A work force off the street will not be able to accomplish that."

But Mr. Metropoulos and his son, Daren, the co-CEO of Pabst Brewing Co. who is also heading up the reborn Hostess's marketing strategy, expressed confidence they would be able to find skilled, nonunion workers near the four plants, which are in areas with high unemployment.

"We're trying to find the most qualified people in these local markets to come work for the company," Daren Metropoulos said.