Another example of American dependent union culture screwing shit up. Those fat ass yanks never get the hint.
Again.And Again.Yet Again.GM, United, etc…
When is the US going to wake up and realize that the days of unionized employment are dead? Hostess is doing the right thing in this case, in effect killing the company and its 18,500 employess. Liquidation. Fire Sale. Last year they were given 30 million as a last chance by a private consortium. They went through that like high school students eating twinkies. They will sell off certain segments and start again, just as GM did, minus the bailout. Companies now realize the only way to kill a union is to liquidate the company and start from scratch. Short term pain for long term gain.Unions cannot be sustainable over the long term in the private sector. Just does not work.
Seen the shitty roads in NY state? There is usually a road crew of 30+ doing it. Safety officers. Labor reps. Union reps. Gov’t supervisors. Some roadmen. Someone holding the stop sign. Another holding the light. Another supervising, etc…and months later the road is the same piece of shit it was before they fixed it. In Taiwan, a few guys show up, do the job, it’s done quickly and gone…then the road turns to shit again, but at least it didn’t take 30 guys to do it!
I am just sick of yanks taking all these union jobs in the first place. HIring three people to do a job that one person can do fine. No wonder the work ethic of yanks is so low. Then they are surprised a few years down the road when their company lays off people/relocates/goes belly up. High unemployment rate? Go do something about it! Don’t wait for a handout!
As the wife of a union member working in New York State, I don’t even know where to begin to take on the just plain wrong views you post here. But surely, as a resident of Taiwan, and evidently not an American in the first place, judging from your use of the term “yanks”, you must know better than those of us who live here.
You conservatives need to get it through your heads: You. Lost. The. Election. End of story.
Just another company with a sense of entitlement, thinking it doesn’t have to play fair. Just like a whiny, spoiled child taking his ball and going home.
To those companies engaging in revenge firings and other sleazy tactics: grow the eff up!
When I saw the title “Hostess insolvency” I thought the post would be about a local lass working as a hostess and unable to cover her bar bill.
Never heard of the company, but obviously some of their products are pretty iconic. Here’s a news link for the story:
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/hostess-brands-says-it-will-liquidate/
The On Point radio show had a programme a couple of days ago about the trend towards crappy part-time work, and how technology (scheduling software) is making things worse for workers. They did a show earlier in the year about crappy warehouse jobs with the likes of Amazon.
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/11/15/part-time
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/02/28/on-line-shopping
[quote=“ironlady”]As the wife of a union member working in New York State, I don’t even know where to begin to take on the just plain wrong views you post here. But surely, as a resident of Taiwan, and evidently not an American in the first place, judging from your use of the term “yanks”, you must know better than those of us who live here.
You conservatives need to get it through your heads: You. Lost. The. Election. End of story.[/quote]
Did I say anything about the election? Do I care?
I deal with US union based companies all the time through our supply chain, the efficiency ratio of these companies will blow your mind. QC/QA issues up the ying yang. But I am told we are dealing with a union based company, they are better trained, more professional…I have yet to see that happen in my 15 years on the job. Personally I will choose a non union company in a heart beat.
They get shit done. That’s it. On time. Pass inspections.
Sorry, not going the political route…everyone knows someone in a union, doesn’t mean anything to me. You support unions, fine. I don’t. End of story.
Who wants a twinkie?
I am allowed though to rant and rave. I have had my shit fit, time to move on.
Feel sorry for the employees, hope they find new work , but i never liked any of their products. YUCK.
On a more positive note, the number of fat blue coats will decrease by 8% as the loss of twinkies and ho ho’s will cause massive shock to those couch potatoes watching American Idol.
But the cool guy from sons of anarchy is still dead.
Many academic papers claim that unions decrease profitability (which is hardly surprising considering their explicit aim is to increase the cost of labor). And given that firms exist in a Darwinian world the results are predictable, aren’t they?
Believing in a ‘fair’ wage in a market economy is a bit like believing in god I reckon. I wonder how many of the 18,000 workers have lost their faith.
What is the chance of Hostess getting a massive US government bailout, similar to the arrangements made for GM and Chrysler some years back?
After all, the company’s products are deeply-rooted in American culture.
. . . . . . a Twinkie anyone?
I agree with you here. The Brooklyn-Queens expressway looked like something out of Beirut when I was a kid, a couple of years ago I drove it for a laugh and it was still the same of course. This year they’ve managed to fix it up, only took 20 years to bring a major link in the interstate highway system up to scratch. The Belt Parkway is no better. More to this than unions of course, but definitely a factor. I love how they re-pave a street there. One day the scraper comes and scrapes it up. The road remains in an unsurfaced state for two to three weeks, until the day for the paver to come rolls around. Insane.
[quote=“ironlady”]As the wife of a union member working in New York State, I don’t even know where to begin to take on the just plain wrong views you post here. But surely, as a resident of Taiwan, and evidently not an American in the first place, judging from your use of the term “yanks”, you must know better than those of us who live here.
You conservatives need to get it through your heads: You. Lost. The. Election. End of story.[/quote]
It has nothing to do with “conservatives”, it has to do with economic reality. It’s no longer 1946, with Europe bombed into oblivion and Asia burying most of a generation of young workers.
Big Labor is dead. You can either quit featherbedding and lazing around, or you can lose your jobs and take unemployment for the 99 weeks that it’s allowed and then go on welfare.
the mentality of americans who think the union is the greatest thing in the world is also dead. I am in a union, who cares?
Like taking a 2-day weekend? That’s a gift from your labor union.
I mourn for the Twinkie.
Nonsense. Its never the end. Did you libs stop politicking after Reagan destroyed your candidates? Get over yourself and get serious… 
:roflmao: Great. What have they done for us lately?
Top Ten Highest Paid Leaders
Name / Title / Total Compensation
FRANK HURT / PRESIDENT / $262,654.00
DAVID DURKEE / SECRETARY-TREASURER / $244,396.00
JOSEPH THIBODEAU / EXEC VICE PRESIDENT / $218,989.00
STEVE BERTELLI / VICE PRESIDENT / $198,062.00
MICHAEL KONESKO / VICE PRESIDENT / $184,297.00
ARTHUR MONTMINY / VICE PRESIDENT / $175,505.00
ANTHONY JOHNSON / VICE PRESIDENT / $167,433.00
ROBERT OAKLEY / VICE PRESIDENT / $167,265.00
RANDY ROARK / VICE PRESIDENT / $166,849.00
SEAN KELLY / VICE PRESIDENT / $161,789.00
The company was doomed to fail anyways, people were moving away from the borderline murderous, absolute crap, unhealthy shit they passed off as ‘food’.
Management got out while the getting was good instead of sticking around while sales continuously dropped and diabetics and heart attack survivors sued their ass for selling toxins to the public.
Good fuckin riddance!
To blame the union is a bit disingenuous since the company has been in and out of bankruptcy since 2004 and has had about 6 different management teams in 8 years.
For an organization that has 114k members, those salaries are not very high. Hostess management I’m sure pulled a lot more. The CEO got 2.5M right? Didn’t he triple his salary while moving towards bankruptcy? Didn’t about Guess he knew he was going to be out of a job?
Never ate one but it looks like DD is right, their products look like artificial crap, plenty of opportunities to open their own bakeries or work in better places.
Why didn’t Obama bail out the Twinkies? The Ho Hos? The Snowballs? Why?
I can see the “recommend” button, but I can’t see the “you’re a complete fucking wanker” button.
Can someone help me out here?