PHILADELPHIA — Tasty Baking Co. on Aug. 13 said 240 hourly production, sanitation and distribution workers in the company’s Philadelphia Navy Yard facility voted on Aug. 11 to be represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' International Union. The company has approximately 340 total hourly and salaried workers at its Philadelphia baking and distribution facility.

Prior to the vote, Tasty Baking had approximately 40 of its employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which began their representation in 2005.

“We respect the decision of our employees and, as we already have a portion of our labor force represented by a union, we have experience with the collective bargaining process,” said Charles Pizzi, chief executive officer, Tasty Baking Co. “This vote by employees in the Philadelphia facility does not change or disrupt our primary priority, which is to optimize the bakery, achieve our stated annual savings goals, and grow our business.”

Tasty Baking said it remains focused on improving overall performance at its new facility, and continues to work closely with equipment vendors, outside consultants and a specially mobilized internal team to address challenges that impacted equipment efficiency and performance in the first and second quarters of 2010. The company’s management said it expects to achieve the efficiencies necessary to generate the annualized, pre-tax savings of $13 million to $15 million, net of facility leases, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010.