Twinkie bakers qualify for trade-related benefits

   The federal government says that people who used to make Twinkies, Ho Hos and Wonder Bread lost their jobs in part due to foreign competition and qualify for training subsidized by the government.
   In November, Hostess Brands Inc. shut down and filed for bankruptcy liquidation, saying it was unable to keep up with medical and pension obligations, competition and difficult economic conditions. 
   Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that about 18,000 workers laid off at 864 Hostess company locations are eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance, which provides a variety of reemployment services and benefits to workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased imports or shifts in production outside the United States. The goal is to help workers acquire skills necessary to find jobs with comparable wages. 
   The Labor Department said an investigation found that increased imports of baked products significantly contributed to the company’s sales declines and lay offs. – Eric Kulisch