Twinkie maker Hostess reaches the end of the line - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Hostess Brands says it is going out of business, closing plants that make Twinkies and Wonder Bread and laying off all of its 18,500 workers.

The Irving, Texas, company says a nationwide worker strike crippled its ability to make and deliver its products at several locations.

Hostess had warned employees that it would file a motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to unwind its business and sell assets if plant operations didn't return to normal levels by Thursday evening.

The privately held company filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, its second trip through bankruptcy court in less than a decade.

Local union members say they were given a 5:00 p.m. deadline to come back to work or the company would shut down.

Before the announcement of the closure Melissa White, a shipping worker said, "We're all here together, we're all here to stick together and we're not going anywhere. We're not going inside until they negotiate or just come back with something."

The company's website blames the striking workers for the liquidation saying, "union leadership initiated the nationwide strikes knowing full well they would force Hostess Brands to begin permanently closing bakeries and perhaps, the entire company."

"The union members wanted to negotiate this contract," Mark Popovich, who works in shipping said. "The company refused to negotiate, they gave us a last and final offer and we voted it down."