Hostess, maker of Twinkies and Ding Dongs, says closing business

People are looking at this all wrong, yes 18500 union workers lost their jobs, I see this as 18500 job openings for non union workers. with all the people looking for jobs you they will fill those jobs.

And on top of that, I am sure they did not start this company from the ground up through their own blood sweat and tears but worked their way up through the "chains" and they felt entitled to these outrageous salaries.

Originally posted by Pixiefyre

Originally posted by SheopleNation
Another example of greedy Unions being nothing but company killers. This is the result almost every single time. The stupid sheople will never get it though. ~$heopleNation

I would say instead it is another example of greedy executives, taking more and more away from their workers, and stuffing more and more in their pockets and blaming it all on the unions and employees.

reply to post by Merinda


Who knows, maybe the folks that own Hostess will just move their business base camp to China or Mexico, change their name and come back even stronger because they hired people who are perfectly happy with a 1/4 of what the Union was demanding, maybe even less?

I don't know the correct percentage, but it's a vicious circle where the sheople all over suffer in the end. I know of no solution, but got some ideas concerning the matter. ~$heopleNation

Originally posted by Legion2024
moral of the story don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Of course.

Better to let bullies win - - - and rule your lives.

Originally posted by PurpleChiten


BOTH sides take part in the negotionations. BOTH sides are at fault, not one over the others. The company wasn't getting what it wanted so it decided to take it's ball and go home.

After being 3 billion in the hole and having a bottom line in the red with 18000 workers demanding even more money, there is no "choice" in the matter.

The company is going home without it's ball.

Did you people seriously not read where the employees had already agreed to a wage cut that saved the company $110 million a year?

While the execs were giving themselves 80% wage increases?


DAMN those unions for killing the company!!!!!

Originally posted by badgerprints

Originally posted by PurpleChiten


BOTH sides take part in the negotionations. BOTH sides are at fault, not one over the others. The company wasn't getting what it wanted so it decided to take it's ball and go home.

After being 3 billion in the hole and having a bottom line in the red with 18000 workers demanding even more money, there is no "choice" in the matter.

The company is going home without it's ball.

they could save the equivalent of all the worker's salaries by returning the executive salaries to their previous levels..... it's the company's fault

HOSTESS CLOSES!

Nation collectivly loses 5,000,000 lbs. Healthcare costs decrease.

I am REALLY sad that so many people lost their jobs. But as an RN I see what crap food does to people. Sure, they will find another fix, but it's that much less spongy cream filled death on the market.

As an aside, I am participating in what the rollout of Obamacare is going to look like. Let's put it this way: you are now a number. Plain and simple. We are all positioning oursleves for maximum profit. You are a statistic.

That to say... STOP EATING CRAP. PLEASE for the love of all that is holy spend the money on high quality food. Grass fed beef, vegitables (grow you own if possible) water or tea with no sugar to drink. You do NOT want to be a part of what is coming for healthcare. STOP EATING STUFF WITH INGREDIANTS IN IT.
Raw milk too. Get it if your government will let you. I live in Texas an go to a local farm to get it.

Meat (organinc and grassfed). Vegitables (organicn or grow your own. Go easy on the fruit. Berries are good.

I saw the light diet wise 7 years ago an cured my blood sugar problem (no, I am not a vegitatrian. I'm basically Paleo before it had a name). At Crossfit I outlast and outdo the local young military kids that come in. (I'm 52).

Fact is, most could care less about diet. They are too addicted to crap food. Oh well. Job security for me.

Oh,and I'm all for free will and everything. Just don't make me pay for your chronic-care as you age. And don't give me that "it's in my genes" crap. Your crappy diet turns on those genes...

reply to post by Pixiefyre


Well, I think the whole point of this thread comes down to one thing:

In these types of disputes in today's economy, the only people who are going to win in the end are the banksters and the investors. They will continue to collect dividends on the royalties when the product patents get sold elsewhere.

Everyone else is out of a job, including the idiot management - minus the union officials who never seem to lose out in these situations for the past 50+ years... but I digress.

Originally posted by badgerprints

Originally posted by PurpleChiten


BOTH sides take part in the negotionations. BOTH sides are at fault, not one over the others. The company wasn't getting what it wanted so it decided to take it's ball and go home.

After being 3 billion in the hole and having a bottom line in the red with 18000 workers demanding even more money, there is no "choice" in the matter.

The company is going home without it's ball.

You put it perfectly. They had no choice. I don't see where people are missing this or it's just being ignored by some because it would take away the basis to fight over another topic for pages and pages.

As you note though and the Teamsters themselves outright told this Union (The...umm..Teamsters said this, in a direct quote no less...for those missing it), if they didn't return to work the plant would close. The Hostess people weren't saying they WOULD enter bankruptcy, they already ARE in bankruptcy which means the CEO is secondary to a Judge running the BK court. Blame the judge is what I'd say to people...but not going to work is still why a plant closed and 18,500 will have a big stocking full of despair and uncertainty for Christmas, eh?

Originally posted by PurpleChiten

Originally posted by badgerprints

Originally posted by PurpleChiten


BOTH sides take part in the negotionations. BOTH sides are at fault, not one over the others. The company wasn't getting what it wanted so it decided to take it's ball and go home.

After being 3 billion in the hole and having a bottom line in the red with 18000 workers demanding even more money, there is no "choice" in the matter.

The company is going home without it's ball.

they could save the equivalent of all the worker's salaries by returning the executive salaries to their previous levels..... it's the company's fault

They did, in fact 4 execs had their salaries slashed back to $1/month until the company could pull out of bankruptcy.

You must've not read that part in the thread.

I drove by this group out on the picket line in Columbus on Thursday. I wanted to stop and get out and tell them "do you know how hard it is to get a job right now? Go back to work, what is wrong with you people"

Twinkies will be back. It will be sold, to a non union place, and we will have twinkies again vary soon. There will always be twinkies...

lainie ‏@Elainie
@ConwayShow Little Debbie will rule the snack world now..and they're non-union.
Retweeted by Angel Martinez

Interstate bakeries went out of Biz in Michigan, we all thought, oh no, no more twinkies... That was in 2003.

www.businesswire.co... m/news/home/20031002005668/en/Interstate-Bakeries-Corporation-Announces-Closing-Grand-Rapids

October 02, 2003 04:26 PM Eastern Time
Interstate Bakeries Corporation Announces the Closing of Its Grand Rapids, Michigan, Facility
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 2, 2003--Interstate Bakeries Corporation (NYSE:IBC) today announced plans to close its bread and roll bakery in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The closing, scheduled for December 3, 2003, will affect 160 employees.

“The decision to close the Grand Rapids bakery was difficult. Our employees there have been solid contributors and we appreciate their efforts”
Production from the Grand Rapids bakery, which primarily bakes bread and rolls under the Wonder, Butternut and Home Pride brand names, will be transferred to IBC's bakeries in Columbus, Defiance and Northwood, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Hodgkins, Ill. Distribution of IBC products to food stores in Grand Rapids and other markets will not be affected.

"The decision to close the Grand Rapids bakery was difficult. Our employees there have been solid contributors and we appreciate their efforts," said James R. Elsesser, IBC's Chief Executive Officer. "However, companywide we are consolidating operations and seeking production efficiencies. The Grand Rapids plant, which we acquired in 1972, is not as efficient as some of our other facilities, and it cannot be economically updated. As a result, we concluded that it was best for the company to close the facility."

Most employees affected by this decision are represented by the United Dairy, Bakery and Food Workers Local Union #386 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Severance arrangements for these employees will be guided by IBC's agreements with this union.

Interstate Bakeries Corporation is the nation's largest baker and distributor of fresh baked bread and sweet goods in the U.S., under various national brand names including Wonder, Hostess, Dolly Madison, Merita and Drake's. The Company, with 57 bread and cake bakeries located in strategic markets from coast to coast, is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.

Originally posted by CranialSponge

They did, in fact 4 execs had their salaries slashed back to $1/month until the company could pull out of bankruptcy.

You must've not read that part in the thread.

Well, yes and no...

Some unsecured creditors had informed the court that last summer -- as the company was crumbling -- four top Hostess executives received raises of up to 80%. (Driscoll had also received a pay raise back then.) The Teamsters saw this as more management shenanigans. "Looting" is how Hall described it in TV interviews. Rayburn announced that the pay of the four top executives would go down to $1 for the year, but that their full salaries would be reinstated no later than Jan. 1. Hostess pays Rayburn $125,000 a month, according to court filings.

Keep in mind that this was in late summer. So they went down to $1 for a couple of months, but then went right back up to the 80% raise they gave themselves on Jab 1st. Certainly not "until the company could pull out of bankruptcy".

reply to post by Montana


Well, from what I understand is that pay cut kicked in this summer and was to run until Jan 1st, 2013 or until they pulled out of bankruptcy, whichever came first.

But it doesn't matter, these execs should not have taken massive raises when the company is starving... they were simply grabbing the brass ring before the carousel came to a halt.

Ultimately, I think a crappy economy, impossible inflation, and blatant mismanagement killed these peoples jobs.

The vultures moved in the chew up the remaining scraps.

Hey Hostess union employees: Guess who still has jobs? YOUR UNION BOSSES.

reply to post by sonnny1


Blame the union all you want, I will bet all of management is set pretty well though.

Originally posted by iwilliam

Originally posted by KoolerKing
reply to post by ascension211

 

Did management take a pay cut?????? Did management cut their bonuses and makes any concessions???
Sure blame it on the union. It's their fault. The company was run into the ground and it did not happen overnight.
Yes the wealthy workers are at fault here.

NO. In fact, not long before this, they took RAISES. But most people seem to be conveniently ignoring this fact. It's much cooler to bash the lower-paid wage workers. Here are the bonuses which the higher-ups were unwilling to part with, in exchange for their most valuable service to the company and the community.

Brian Driscoll, CEO, around $750,000 to $2,550,000
Gary Wandschneider, EVP, $500,000 to $900,000
John Stewart, EVP, $400,000 to $700,000
David Loeser, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256
Kent Magill, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256
Richard Seban, EVP, $375,000 to $656,256
John Akeson, SVP, $300,000 to $480,000
Steven Birgfeld, SVP, $240,000 to $360,000
Martha Ross, SVP, $240,000 to $360,000
Rob Kissick, SVP, $182,000 to $273,008

Who cares if they got raises. Its their business. I guess if your company is in trouble you will refinance your house to do your part right? How about when they offer to fire someone at your job you offer to take a cut in pay to keep them on.

The workers don't know how to run a business. Hell half of them probably never graduated high school ( i mean no offense to anyone by that remark) yet they know whats best for the company. I worked somewhere where they let the employees bargain and I had my health insurance taken because the other employees traded it for a 2 dollar raise. Guess they figured Obama care and stimulus checks were going to cover them for life.

reply to post by NihilistSanta


So who cares if they all took raises but it's the actual workers who make the company want a little better standard of living's fault? So if management can give themselves a 1.5 MILLION dollar raise, somehow it's the small worker who wants an extra dollar or two an hour's fault?

Originally posted by mymymy
reply to post by sonnny1

 

Blame the union all you want, I will bet all of management is set pretty well though.

So are UNION bosses.........

reply to post by NihilistSanta

Who cares if they got raises. Its their business.

This is the CEO and executive vice presidents. They know the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Voting raises is just bad relations. Even if the money is insignificant, the message it sends is horrible.