bush_cheney2004 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Yes, Interstate Brands (later Hostess) was privately held. It has been in trouble for a long time. More health conscious consumers and aging baby boomers put the squeeze on sales for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topaz Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 I found another view point and you can watch the video. I hear there are 40 Mil unemployed US workers, add these 18,500. That's like all of Canada being of work!! http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/Hostess-Brands-closing-for-good/-/1719418/17452110/-/pbjliwz/-/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilber Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Yes, Interstate Brands (later Hostess) was privately held. It has been in trouble for a long time. More health conscious consumers and aging baby boomers put the squeeze on sales for years. There comes a point where no employee concessions can save a company if it is incompetently run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 It's obvious that the strike directly and effectively had an impact on the decision hostess had to make to close all of its plants in the US. Seems like the end result of the union. They do not seem to care about the worker and instead only care to make the union bigger and richer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercoma Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 It was a privately held company wasn't it? If it is then if the management wants to loot the company and run it into the ground then they are entitled to do so provided the owners approve. If employees also have a right to say they want nothing to do with the company and move on. That's exactly what the employees did, but now people like Shady are blaming the employees for the company's piss poor management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercoma Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 It's obvious that the strike directly and effectively had an impact on the decision hostess had to make to close all of its plants in the US. Seems like the end result of the union. They do not seem to care about the worker and instead only care to make the union bigger and richer. Why should the employees entirely bear the burden of mismanagement? They lose their pensions and have to take a 32% pay cut, while the last CEO got a 300% raise. Give it a rest on the employees. The buck stops with management on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Why should the employees entirely bear the burden of mismanagement? They lose their pensions and have to take a 32% pay cut, while the last CEO got a 300% raise. Give it a rest on the employees. The buck stops with management on this one. They decided to go on an extended strike and now they have no jobs. Nothing surprising here. if they cannot make the product the company has no revenue. The workers are very selfish and they got their due. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPCFTW Posted November 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Why should the employees entirely bear the burden of mismanagement? They lose their pensions and have to take a 32% pay cut, while the last CEO got a 300% raise. Give it a rest on the employees. The buck stops with management on this one. Because if they don't they wind up unemployed, which is a much worse burden. Not only on themselves, but they'll now be a burden to society. Unions love to cut off their nose to spite their face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercoma Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Even slaves got food, clothing, and shelter, eh CPCFTW? Some of us like to hold employers to higher standards than that though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 ....Unions love to cut off their nose to spite their face. Agreed....unions live and die by collective bargaining agreements (contracts). Hostess Brands is now in liquidation, and the union(s) can get in line just like every other creditor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueblood Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Why should the employees entirely bear the burden of mismanagement? They lose their pensions and have to take a 32% pay cut, while the last CEO got a 300% raise. Give it a rest on the employees. The buck stops with management on this one. Unfortunately for employees in manufacturing like is the party is over. Manufacturing is taking place all over the world and at the same time American consumers want rock bottom prices and will buy those goods on borrowed money. How can manufacturing not suffer when you have conditions like that. People got stupid with debt and here we are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercoma Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Regardless, this was pure mismanagement. How do you continue to make icing filled cakes when people are way more health conscious now than they've ever been. People aren't buying Twinkies like the used to and Hostess didn't bother to diversify their product lines. But that doesn't matter when you have Wall Street Robber Barons dismantling companies to line their pockets, while the working stiffs trying to make an honest living get stiffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Striking workers always deserve exactly what they get. Congratulations to the 5,000 bakers and Teamsters they took down with them. Stupid management...we showed them, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest American Woman Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 (edited) Doesn't sound as if the jobs under the new contract were deemed worth keeping. The strikers may be out of a job, but the corporation is out of business. Perhaps other corporations will realize that there's only so much workers will stand for. The Teamsters union is urging the bakers union to hold a secret ballot on whether to continue striking. Citing its financial experts who had access to the company's books, the Teamsters say that Hostess' warning of liquidation is "not an empty threat or a negotiating tactic" but a certain outcome if workers keep striking. http://www.usatoday....ostess/1708127/ Sounds as if they made their decision with their eyes wide open. John Smith, a wrapper operator at the plant who has worked for Hostess for 22 years, said he's at peace with his decision to join the strikers. "You have to take a stand for what you believe in. They gave us a take-it-or-leave-it deal. We can't take the financial abuse." Edited November 17, 2012 by American Woman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 They decided to go on an extended strike and now they have no jobs. Nothing surprising here. if they cannot make the product the company has no revenue. The workers are very selfish and they got their due. So where does it end then? If one group allows its wages to be rolled back again and again, that sets the precedent for other groups, and other employers to demand their wages be rolled back. How far back do you want to roll back worker wages and benefits? Until we're all living in slums with no health care, sick leave, safety regulations or pensions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Unfortunately for employees in manufacturing like is the party is over. Manufacturing is taking place all over the world and at the same time American consumers want rock bottom prices and will buy those goods on borrowed money. How can manufacturing not suffer when you have conditions like that. People got stupid with debt and here we are. I don't think you can make Ding Dongs in China and ship them to the US. And I don't think many would want to buy any food made in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimG Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 I don't think you can make Ding Dongs in China and ship them to the US. And I don't think many would want to buy any food made in China.Apparently Chinese prefer US made baby food over the locally made stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest American Woman Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Speaking of "made in China," many may find this surprising. I know I did. Sticker shock: 'Made in China' ranks only 2.7% of U.S. spending Most personal consumption goes for services, groceries and gasoline that are produced in America, a federal study finds. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/13/business/la-fi-made-in-china-20110813 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercoma Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 (edited) When people say everything is made in China, they're not usually referring to gas and groceries. They're usually talking about the manufactured products and goods that people purchase. Edited November 17, 2012 by cybercoma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 Apparently Chinese prefer US made baby food over the locally made stuff. Less melamine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest American Woman Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 (edited) Looks as if Walmart workers are going to be the next to exercise their right to strike, making their voices heard: Wal-Mart Workers' Black Friday Strike http://www.businessw...k-friday-strike Protesting low wages, spiking health care premiums, and alleged retaliation from management, Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) workers have started to walk off the job this week. The workers, who are part of a union-backed employee coalition called Making Change at Wal-Mart, say this is the beginning of a wave of protests and strikes leading up to next week’s Black Friday. A thousand store protests are planned in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., the group says. Edited November 17, 2012 by American Woman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 So where does it end then? If one group allows its wages to be rolled back again and again, that sets the precedent for other groups, and other employers to demand their wages be rolled back. How far back do you want to roll back worker wages and benefits? Until we're all living in slums with no health care, sick leave, safety regulations or pensions? If they don't like it they can go find a new job and work somewhere else. Don't like your job now? Just quit and work someplace else. No one is owed anything. This sense of entitlement has to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 I don't think you can make Ding Dongs in China and ship them to the US. And I don't think many would want to buy any food made in China. I was at a 7/11 in Toronto a few years back and they had Disney themed cookies for sale "made in China" printed on the package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleipnir Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 (edited) See Hostess. Someone can link to an article for me, I'm on my phone. Striking unionized bakery workers just lost 18,000 jobs. Bang up job guys! I don't see how that is a victory for the unions. Edited November 17, 2012 by Sleipnir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted November 17, 2012 Report Share Posted November 17, 2012 If they don't like it they can go find a new job and work somewhere else. Don't like your job now? Just quit and work someplace else. No one is owed anything. This sense of entitlement has to stop. Except that everybody has to pay for declining wages by paying more for healthcare and addressing declining tax revenue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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