I don't understand people...

[Gumby]

On another Mopar forum, people were openly laughing and joking about the Hostess Twinkie thing. 18,000 plus people are going to be losing their jobs. I do NOT want this to be a political rant. I just can't understand how people can be so callous. It made me sick to my stomach to read some of the replies there. They sure as hell wouldn't be laughing if it was their job on the line. When Chrysler was bought out by Cerebus, (SP)? the three headed dog) the exact same thing could have happened, except on a much larger scale. There is absolutely nothing funny about this outcome. Some people just like to laugh at others misfortunes. I just don't understand it. 18,000 people. That's over 4 and 1/2 times the size of my town. And we thought it was bad when Monroe shock absorber (Tennecco) shut down 10 miles away from us in Cozad NE. and moved everything to Mexico. Ha Ha Very Funny. I see a Mexican company might be interested in taking over Hostess brands. Rant over. sorry. 

[moparmaniac59]

I agree, it's not funny. So sad for a company that has been in business for so long. I am sure the closure was in part due to the decline of folks buying Ho-Ho's and Twinkies to put in kid's lunches who instead opted for healthier foods, but this closure was mostly to blame on the unions. Do we still need unions in this country?  I am sure many would debate that issue as there are now so many federal regulations in place such as safety, minimum wage, discrimination laws ect. I know unions in days of old saved many lives in regards to sweat shops, mine safety, child labor laws ect, but here and other places, the unions have done the opposite of protect jobs, the've snubbed their nose at the industry and caused the companies to close their door for good. What does that do?? I know there are still some good as far as unions, but I am disgusted by this union move as it serves no purpose, but to destroy jobs & businesses!! 

                                                                           Matt B.

[Gumby]

Well, when I said political, I was actually meaning talk about unions. I am a union member. My industry is significantly different than any other industry concerning unions, though. That's why I didn't want to get involved in that discussion. In a nutshell, yes, there is reason to have union representation in some industries. The real issue behind Hostess has more to do with Hedge Fund/Trusts buying them out, promising them things, and selling them short for profits. There are plenty of sources on the web to check this out and verify it. Unions had very little to do with the entire operation. I know I will be flamed. That's ok. I guess that's the new American way. Somehow, it's all right for a bank or trust group to buy you out and rape you and kick you to the curb while making obscene profits, but it's not ok for someone to try and get decent standards of safety to work in and try and make a living for his family, while agreeing to less and less and less after 3 rounds of negotioations.. Meanwhile, the boss takes 17 million and splits. Yeah. ok. That's why I didn't want to get into that area.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I was asked for an opinion on this yesterday. (go figure??). If they close it will be more than 18000 losing their jobs I assure you.
The supplier of flour and sugar... not selling as much product
The maintaninance company ... less equpt to repair /replace
The packaging supply company... no need for Ho-Ho boxes
This list goes on and on. And I'm sure (insert company name here) has Hostess as their BIGGEST account. One year about maybe 15 years ago my 2 biggest accounts went out of business at the same time. Not a pretty situation I assure you......

[moparmaniac59]

I am sure people could compile a list of union pros/cons. They're still looking for Jimmy Hoffa! I used to be a union member. The one time I needed them, they couldn'/wouldn't help me, so I ended up hiring a lawyer and eventually got back to my former position (long story). It's just so sad with Hostess, because it seems that nobody wins here. I don't know all the details and thanks Gumby for clarifying some of that mess. I'm not against labor unions, but I hear so many horror stories of unions that refuse to back down & companies that end up folding & I am sure that there is more to the story than just the headlines!

[willhaven]

People like to complain about the union element, but I've read Hostess had recently tripled CEO pay. Some had gone from 750K to about 2.5MIL.

I can't imagine how those poor paupers were scraping by on 750K...

[Gumby]

This is getting off topic. lol. However, I work for a great company! I value and appreciate my job. I have a great union behind me. Unions aren't about sgueezing the last dime out of a company. I can't think of anyone that I work with that want's to intentionally screw the company over. if they don't make a profit? Then we don't make a paycheck. Yeah, it's that simple. We realize that. My goal is to do the best I can do, and then go home. Unions are there to smooth over problems. I know most of my managers by first name, and they know me. There would be absolutely nothing to gain by trying to screw the company (if I even could) It would hurt me more than anything. And it's not the way I was brought up. Why the hell would you do that? I'm just sorry for the Hostess company, and all the good people affected. That's all. It's a sad situation right around the Holidays and all.

[AARCUDADEN]

It is sad for so many to lose jobs and Bigs is right on because it will also effect other manifactors as well. This is just the begining of the end like a dominos, it starts with only
 one   

[tommyg29]

Yes it is very sad.
Unfortunately a bad sign of the times we are in.
Fortunately for my family, my wife has survived two rounds of layoffs at her company over the past month with another coming next month and I can assure you it causes lots of stress even to the survivors. In her case its the combination of slow sales and ever tighter federal and state regulations and taxes. A major double whammy with no end in sight. No union issues here. Mostly Dodd Frank to blame, which was the the usual and typical knee jerk government over reaction to an issue. As they always seem to do, "never waste a good crisis"
Hard to believe but things seem to be getting worse.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

As I understand it. Hostess has been in trouble for a few years now, and twice filed for bankruptcy. It seems to me they have inept leadership at the top, but it's good to see they all got raises.   

[BIGSHCLUNK]

As I understand it. Hostess has been in trouble for a few years now, and twice filed for bankruptcy. It seems to me they have inept leadership at the top, but it's good to see they all got raises.   

Ya, i guess the wolrd of BIG busness is different than small business. If we can sell it we make $$ if we cant ppphhhttt. And when I say we I mean myself and my guys. 

[74challenger03]

thats what happens when you take GOD out of everything. IMO

[Barracudadan]

This is getting off topic. lol. However, I work for a great company! I value and appreciate my job. I have a great union behind me. Unions aren't about sgueezing the last dime out of a company. I can't think of anyone that I work with that want's to intentionally screw the company over. if they don't make a profit? Then we don't make a paycheck. Yeah, it's that simple. We realize that. My goal is to do the best I can do, and then go home. Unions are there to smooth over problems. I know most of my managers by first name, and they know me. There would be absolutely nothing to gain by trying to screw the company (if I even could) It would hurt me more than anything. And it's not the way I was brought up. Why the hell would you do that? I'm just sorry for the Hostess company, and all the good people affected. That's all. It's a sad situation right around the Holidays and all.

I belong to a union myself and that is basically the same idea I have about working, if they don`t make a profit we don`t make a paycheck. Really anyone who woks for a living should think like that whether you are in a union or not.
The union will get the blame on this and be portrayed as greedy since that is the first reaction most people have without knowing all the facts, but it wasnt all the unions fault. The company put itself in this situation too with poor managerial decisions over the years and bumping the ceo`s pay to 2.5 mil along with that of other top executives sorta sounds like a big money grab before the whole thing falls apart. I think the union gambled with the jobs of 18,000 people and lost. Without knowing all the details of the strike it sounded like the union was just trying to maintain what they had for their members. There was a Wonder bread bakery in my town a few years back owned by Interstate Brands Corp.  the parent company of Hostess they shut the plant during the first bankrupcy that Interstate Brands went through. It was bad many people who worked there 20+ years were suddenly out of a job!
Skyrocketing health care costs have as much to do with this company closing as anything else in my opinion.

[erat340]

Unions destroy jobs and businesses ? Are you for real? Well said Gumby, I am soooo tired of people blaming the hard working middle class for the worlds economic woes.

[GranCuda1970]

Simlrities netween a Union and parasites    Nothin good comes from a group of people who barge in and take control of a business they did not create and dictate how earned money is spent. The article I read said the union bosses knew the company would go under if they pressed but did not care. The relationship between the Company owner and the Union starts with this fractured forced relationship. I am sure employees get better pay in the long run but eventually want too much too fast. The owners were just trying to get some profit before they shut off the spigot. I Don,t blame em a bit.