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Friday, November 16, 2012

Hostess To Close, Lay Off 18,500 After 'Crippling' Union Fight

A small union's stubbornness in contract talks with Hostess is being blamed for the shutdown of one of America's snack food icons, the loss of 18,500 jobs just before the holiday season and much-needed tax revenue from hundreds of plants and shops across the country.
The privately-held company had reached a deal with the Teamsters, but a smaller union representing bakery workers refused to agree to concessions, prompting the mass layoffs and closing down of hundreds of plants, bakeries and delivery routes. That prompted harsh words from both the company and from Teamsters officials.
"We deeply regret the necessity of today's decision, but we do not have the financial resources to weather an extended nationwide strike," Chief Executive Gregory Rayburn said in a statement. "Hostess Brands will move promptly to lay off most of its 18,500-member workforce and focus on selling its assets to the highest bidders."

21 comments:

Anonymous said...


al-Qaeda is Alive
Twinkies are Dead

What the Obama ideology is building!

Anonymous said...

They legalize marijuana and now there will be no more twinkies? That's just not right!

Anonymous said...

Those union members getting what they deserve.

Anonymous said...

Look for the union label

Anonymous said...

Not only is al Qaeda alive but thanks to Obama they now have 2 countries (Egypt and Libya) to operate in freely and with the support of the new governments. You know the ones, that were in search of "democracy."

Anonymous said...

isn't this the way it always works? a few bad apples spoil it for everyone. Hell they can just all go on the dole and become obummer voters. I just wonder what happens when eveyone is on the dole?

Anonymous said...

seiu & white house are very very close.
unions used to be good for the workers, but aren't anymore. This will not be the last you hear of this.

Anonymous said...

Those of you who have been here awhile may remember Dresser Industries.. Same scenario..

Jack K Richards said...

The unions are hurting this country at this time. Now, where in the hell are these people going to find jobs that pay what they were making. Bet the union bosses still have their income. Sounds like the Dresser Wayne.

Anonymous said...

Twinkies were supposed to survive the apocolypse and they couldn't even survive Obama.

Anonymous said...

Unions were causing these type of closings long before Obama.

Anonymous said...

RIP Twinkies

Anonymous said...

I will miss the whole wheat twinkies.Last night I heard where their pensions were also lost.

Anonymous said...

The fact the CEO tripled his salary has nothing to do with the bankruptcy, right? No, we have to blame one union at one plant for striking one week.

Anonymous said...

unions are blood sucking leeches. any company that has to deal with a union or unions will have higher prices and lower quality. the company can't be run efficiently and the workers will become complacent and greedy.

Bust All Unions ASAP.

Anonymous said...

It is win - win for the Democrats. There will be 18,500 more people out of work recieving "entitlements" who will end up voting for the donkey. And another food deemed unhealthy by liberal green bunny hugging lock stepping zombies will be off the shelves.
Remember - buy the union label.

Anonymous said...

Understand that they made a choice...an informed decision to strike knowing fully well what could happen as a result. While they may lose their jobs it was their choice to do so. And it will benefit their competitors as now there will be some room for new products. Funny how the NLRB chooses what unions to control and which to let go own their own.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous said...
The fact the CEO tripled his salary has nothing to do with the bankruptcy, right? No, we have to blame one union at one plant for striking one week.

November 17, 2012 10:47 AM"

You're mixed up. That was the Solyndra bunch who after Obama gave them billions in tax payers money, upped their salaries and gave themselves hugh bonuses then filed for bankrupcy.
CEO Rayburn did not triple his salary. This fallacy has been retracted. Anyone who understands business knew this was the usual union spin/lie that they feed out to the public who believes it like it's the gospel.
Rayburn became the CEO after the Hostess filed for bankruptcy anyway, so his salary has not a thing to do with that.

Anonymous said...

Another reason to outsource another American company. The owners made zillions of dollars with this company and paid their emplloyees minimum wages. The union came in to help the employees get better pay, health insurance and retirement plans for the people. The bosses said, "hell no". "I can take this company to China and pay those employee 99 cents a day. Don't blame the union. Blame the greed of big corporations. In the future, all of you will be paid 3 dollars a week because of your disdain for the union.

Anonymous said...

Locally a shame. The Thrift store on Main street where alot of people depend on low prices to help their budgets will be gone.

Anonymous said...

5:11 Exactly, twinkies will be made in china just like 90% of the products in Walmart, even the apples. We can't compete with a communist country who makes employees have pregnancy test's and force abortions before reporting for you're shift in the factory below your dormitory. Or work in a building with suicide nets because the conditions are so horrendous. Corporatism and greed and a lack of morality at epidemic levels are the root of this, not the union which brought about the labor laws we have in the US today. Without unions, we WILL become China!