"Lance, Inc. Plans to Buy Stella D'oro Brand," WMFD TV, 9/09/09

Lance Incorporated announced Wednesday it has entered into an agreement with Stella D'Oro Biscuit Company to purchase the Stella D'Oro brand, as well as certain manufacturing equipment and inventory.

Lance will manufacture the Stella D'Oro products in its Archway Bakery on Claremont Avenue in Ashland. Terms of the purchase agreement were not disclosed. Read more.

"Kingsbridge Stella D'oro factory to close," The Riverdale Press, 9/09/09

Stella D’oro Biscuit Co. has entered into an agreement with Lance Inc., a North Carolina –based company, to sell the brand as well as some manufacturing equipment and inventory.

According to PRNewswire, which releases company statements, the companies plan to close on the purchase early in the fourth quarter, which spans from October to December. Read more.

"Cookie crumbles in Bronx," The New York Post, 9/09/09

Food company Lance Inc. yesterday said it reached an agreement to buy the Stella D'Oro brand, and has said it will move cookie production to Ohio from the Bronx.

It's the end of the line for Stella's 135 unionized workers, who had fought a year-long battle with Brynwood Partners, the private-equity firm that owned Stella, over a wage hike. Read more.

"Brynwood to Sell Stella D'oro Brand to Lance, Inc.," LBO Wire, 9/09/09

Brynwood Partners-backed Stella D'oro Biscuit Co. will probably wind up leaving a bad taste in the mouths of employees.

The firm has agreed to sell the Stella brand, and certain manufacturing equipment, and inventory to Lance Inc. Stella D'oro's products will be made at Lance's Ashland, Ohio, bakery, instead of the Bronx, N.Y., factory that was the site of a lengthy labor dispute. Read more.

"Growing Lance is buying Stella D'oro bakery brand," The Charlotte Observer, 9/09/09

Snack-maker Lance Inc. said Tuesday that it will soon start making Stella D'oro brand cookies and breadsticks, bringing into its growing snack empire the products of a 78-year-old New York bakery that recently encountered labor trouble. Read more.

STELLA D'ORO PLANT SOLD. Management is calling for a meeting with workers at 7 AM tomorrow (Wed.): workers need as many supporters at the gates as possible. Be prepared for ANYTHING! Rally 9/9, 7 AM, 237 & B'way, The Bronx (1 train to 238 St).

"Lance, Inc. to Purchase Stella D'Oro Brand," Forbes, 9/08/09

CHARLOTTE, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lance, Inc. (Nasdaq: LNCE) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Stella D'oro Biscuit Co., Inc. to purchase the Stella D'oro brand as well as certain manufacturing equipment and inventory. Lance will manufacture the Stella D'oro products in its Ashland, Ohio bakery. The Company plans to close on the purchase early in the fourth quarter. Terms of the purchase agreement were not disclosed. Read More.

Our friends at Domestic Workers United (DWU) are having a rally from 11AM-12PM tomorrow. The details are below. We hope Stella D'oro workers and supporters will show up to support them as they have done for us!

On Labor Day, we honor workers - whose energy, commitment and skills make our lives possible. These are tough times for workers. There is no defense against the cruelty of this economic crisis for workers. . . except organizing.  So on this labor day, let's honor worker organizing.

Support domestic workers organizing for their basic human rights. Support the human right to organize. RALLY for JUSTICE and WORKERS RIGHTS.

When the Stella D'oro workers returned to work in July under a favorable ruling from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the plant's owners greeted them with an announcement that the company intends to close the plant in October. While no one is certain what the company actually plans to do, workers at the plant take the threat seriously and so must we all.

Consequently, the Stella D'oro Solidarity Committee is planning a series of activities designed to broaden the base of support for whatever actions the workers have to take to defend their jobs. In the event of a crisis, the workers will need to be able to count on you, and hundreds of others, to converge on the plant on short notice.

The upcoming Labor Day March, scheduled for Saturday, September 12th, will assemble thousands of trade union workers for a march up 5th Avenue. It is an opportunity to organize many new supporters, and active support from union workers is key to winning at Stella D'oro. Stella D'oro workers will be marching in the front ranks of the parade and we want as many supporters as possible to march with them.

Even more important, we are organizing teams of workers and supporters to canvass the 12 assembly areas where union locals gather over several hours before stepping off onto 5th Avenue. We will have leaflets explaining the situation the Stella D'oro workers face and how their struggle against concessions and layoffs is a fight in which all workers have a stake. We will be asking union members to join the Solidarity Committee's email and phone list, to commit to come to the plant in the event of a crisis, and to work to bring their union brothers and sisters with them.

To carry this message to the marchers we need you to volunteer some of your time -- about 3 hours -- on September 12th. The event will last about 5 hours so we will be working in 2 overlapping shifts, the first starting at 9AM and the second at 11AM. If you can help all day, that's even better.

Please contact the committee by writing to rustgilbert@pobox.com with your contact information and the time you can commit to this effort. If you are a member of a union, please tell us about that, too.

There is a meeting of the Stella D'oro Solidarity Committee this Wednesday at 7pm at the Church of the Mediator on 231st Street and Kingsbridge Avenue in the Bronx at which we will be organizing all the activities underway for September and especially the effort at the Labor Day March. Please come if you can -- there is a lot of work to do!

Update: You can check out our leaflet promoting the Stella D'oro contingent in the March here. Please download, print, and distribute it!