Future Of Popular Metro Detroit Bakery Hangs In Balance

UPDATE 5/24: Future Uncertain For Awrey Bakeries After Union Rejects Contract

-----

LIVONIA (WWJ) - A popular Metro Detroit bakery could be no longer after Wednesday.

A press release from the union that represents about 150 workers at Awrey's Bakery says there's a meeting at 1 p.m. with the union and company officials to discuss the "possibility" of closing down the operation, on Farmington Road in Livonia.

On Sunday, workers turned down a $2-an-hour wage cut after years of concessions since being purchased out of a 2005 bankruptcy by Monomoy Capital Partners, an investment firm.

As WWJ's Ron Dewey reports, there are some hard feelings among workers about the shape of things. David Appie, a 53-year-old who has been with the company for 25 years, is among those not putting much stock in management.

"They have no idea, and actually they have said that they know nothing about the baking industry, they've told our union that they don't know anything about running a company like this, but they're going to give it a try," said Appie.

For their part, Montomoy Capital Partners on their website says they turned Awrey's "from a broken family-owned business to a successful, vibrant and profitable enterprise."

Awrey's has been in business for 102 years, making bread, cakes, donuts, pastries and muffins.