Tastykake Says No To Teamsters Workers Voted Against Representation. The Union Vowed To Try Again.

"There's no question there were a lot of fear tactics going on," said John P. Morris, secretary-treasurer of the local. "The damn company pumped these (management) people up to saying all this frightening, threatening" stuff.

Morris said his union representatives had collected 50 affidavits from employees who said managers tried to coerce or scare workers out of voting for the union.

Employees interviewed outside the plant Wednesday said co-workers had made snide or angry comments to them about being pro-union.

Supervisors "said if a union does get in, I'd lose my job," said Bob Nolan, 32, a pie-department operator.

The Teamsters led a successful drive to force a vote after employees began complaining about a number of policies. Those included not offering full-time work to part-timers, not offering part-timers health benefits, cutting back retirement benefits such as spouses' medical insurance, and offering no sick time to any employee.

No company representative commented on the vote.