Hostess To Reopen For Business

[Locutus]

… Minus Union Workers Who Drove Company Into Bankruptcy…



Via ABC News:

The bankrupt assets of Hostess Brands, Inc., the company responsible for Twinkies, Ho Ho’s, Sno Balls and Ding Dongs, are being put back to work by a buyout firm. What’s not being put back to work are the former Hostess unionized employees.

The unionized workers had been on strike when the company folded late last year.

The company had imposed a contract that would cut its 19,000 workers’ wages — 15,000 of whom belonged to the workers from the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) — by 8 percent. (The Teamsters was Hostess’ largest union, followed by BCTGM.) The contract would have also cut benefits by 27 to 32 percent.

Hostess filed for Chapter 11 in January 2012. In November 2012, the company announced it would be shutting its doors for good. By that time, it had lost about $1.1 billion, largely due to bankruptcy filings.

But last month Apollo Global Management, LLC, and Metropoulos & Co., which owns Pabst Blue Ribbon and Vlasic pickles, bought the 83-year-old company for $410 million, renaming it Hostess Brands LLC. It is planning to re-open four bakeries over the next two and a half months, in Columbus, Ga.; Emporia, Kan.; Schiller Park, Ill.; and Indianapolis. It is also contemplating a fifth in Los Angeles.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, C. Dean Metropoulos, the company’s chief executive, said that between now and September, he plans to inject $60 million in capital investments into the plants, and hopes to hire at least 1,500 workers.

But those workers won’t be unionized.

Keep reading…




Awesome: Hostess To Reopen For Business… Minus Union Workers Who Drove Company Into Bankruptcy… | Weasel Zippers

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[lone wolf]

I can't say the union hasn't helped itself out the door

 

[Christianna]

The company put itself out of business to spite the union. Its been done before, like the first Walmart in Vancouver chose to close it's doors rather than allow the workers to form a union.

 

[Cannuck]

The company put itself out of business to spite the union. Its been done before, like the first Walmart in Vancouver chose to close it's doors rather than allow the workers to form a union.

The Hostess brand has been dying for years. It's crap and even a place like McDs is trying for healthier options. I doubt union or non-union would have made a difference. I suspect the new company will make significant changes to the product line.

 

[petros]

Right on It was a real victory for mankind

Now they can be made with Illegal immigrant labour for far less, and still cost the same and still damage you health just the same.

Just like the veggie industry. Kick out the unions and hire illegals and call yourself an upstanding American.

 

[damngrumpy]

Hmmm good day another anti union rant. I am not a union member I have been and I
have also been a Manager of a business and as a farmer I have a business now.
No it wasn't the union that caused the problem. It was a short sighted company that
did not adjust with modern realities. There are companies that face many of the same
problems. Most don't immorally go bankrupt to destroy their obligations they do serious
negotiating. No going bankrupt is not immoral or unethical unless its done in the fashion
these people did it.
The products they are producing are out of step with modern nutritional values and they
have to get in step with the market and produce other things. Even McDonald's is now
attempting to change. Kentucky Fried Chicken took the wrong approach they disguised
the fried chicken by changing their name to KFC and thought it would help.
The fact is the union will start over and make inroads to organize them again and then
what? Another bankruptcy. I won't buy one bloody thing they now produce since they
have taken the same attitude as those cheap shirt manufacturer's in Bangladesh.

 

[petros]

Some people hold the Twinkie in higher regards than they do the families that are now defunct or struggling.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

I do love Ding dons formerly ding Dongs. and good grief, were we really going to allow the twinkie to go the way of the blue suede shoes?

 

[Nuggler]

I ain't never et no DING DONG, nor TWINKIE either.

Didn't know they had unions in ol' Miss.

Mississippi's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. This is the same as the Federal Minimum Wage.

The minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for most employees in Mississippi, with exceptions for tipped employees, some student workers, and other exempt occupations.[1]



In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called on Congress to raise the Federal Minimum Wage to $9.00 per hour. If this new law is passed, all Mississippi employees will be entitled to earn the new national Minimum Wage of $9.00 per hour.

http://www.minimum-wage.org/states.asp?state=Mississippi#
Mississippi does not have a state minimum wage, so the Federal Minimum Wage is applicable to all businesses by default.



Mississippi employers may not pay you under $7.25 per hour unless you or your occupation are specifically exempt from the minimum wage under state or federal law.

All Mississippi employers must display an approved Mississippi minimum wage poster in a prominent place to inform employees about the minimum wage and their worker's rights under Mississippi labor law.
http://www.minimum-wage.org/states.asp?state=Mississippi#
If you have questions about the Mississippi minimum wage, please ask us and someone will respond to you as soon as possible. Looking for a new job? Use the free Mississippi job search utility to find local job openings hiring now.

 

[Walter]

Now the company can become successful again. Better buy some stock if possible.

 

[Angstrom]

So what's the plan for the company's once they offshore all our jobs?
Who will buy all the crap?

That's the part I'm interested in finding out?

 

[captain morgan]

So what's the plan for the company's once they offshore all our jobs?
Who will buy all the crap?

That's the part I'm interested in finding out?

I'll let you in on a little secret; the folks that will buy this garbage will be the same people that flock to Walmart to save as much money as they can on their purchases.

 

[Angstrom]

I'll let you in on a little secret; the folks that will buy this garbage will be the same people that flock to Walmart to save as much money as they can on their purchases.

Yes!

But once all the Walmart flocking people have all lost there jobs
(as in 0 jobs left in Canada/all jobs offshored)

Who will buy the crap?

I want to know what the plan is for when no one has a job left and we can't even buy
the offshored company's crap they want to sell, But no one can buy anymore cause
we can't afford anything cause we have no money.

Who will they sell their crap to then?

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

So what's the plan for the company's once they offshore all our jobs?
Who will buy all the crap?

That's the part I'm interested in finding out?

If they were going to offshore, now would be the time to do it. Why build or re-open 4 new bakeries if you plan to close them and move them offshore?

As for the union, they share the blame with the original owners.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Yes!

But once all the Walmart flocking people have all lost there jobs (as in 0 jobs left in Canada/all jobs offshored)
Who will buy the crap?

All the Walmart flocking people won't lose all their jobs. This cycle continues decade after decade.

Here's the deal, we all get excited about getting a great deal, unfortunately getting a great deal comes at the expense of descent wages and benefits. Given the choice between paying more for less rather than the opposite we will choose the former every time. Have you bought nothing from a big box store, Walmart, FutureShop, Sobeys? I include grocery on this list because they are doing exactly the same thing.

Check where your shrimp is coming from. See where some of those tomatoes or pears get imported from. Or the noodles.

We used to bitch about Japan and Taiwan. Them with their shoes, and electronics and cars made out of tinfoil. Now it seems they have emerged to the same level as us, check out the cost of a Toyota or Nissan or a Honda lately. I remember when Datsun and Honda were called "Jap-Junk". Not anymore, so now we have gone seeking new deals from India and China and any emerging nation that's willing to put people in sweat boxes for drippings from the masters table so that their families don't starve to death.

And we, including the self righteous, continue to buy buy buy and complain as we do...

Including you Angstrom.

 

[Angstrom]

If they were going to offshore, now would be the time to do it. Why build or re-open 4 new bakeries if you plan to close them and move them offshore?

As for the union, they share the blame with the original owners.

Yes but I'm looking for the plan for all company's, for when they have finally successfully killed the
Economy here in NA.

What happens when no one has a job left and we can't even buy their offshored products?
Who will they sell their crap too?

 

[captain morgan]

Yes but I'm looking for the plan for all company's, for when they have finally successfully killed the
Economy here in NA.

What happens when no one has a job left and we can't even buy their offshored products?
Who will they sell their crap too?

What part of this aren't you getting?

The pressure is being put on the companies by the average consumer to deliver cheaper goods.... You can't do that in NorAm with the unions demanding a compensation packages or high taxes, etc that makes it impossible to deliver those cheap products.

 

[Angstrom]

What part of this aren't you getting?

The pressure is being put on the companies by the average consumer to deliver cheaper goods.... You can't do that in NorAm with the unions demanding a compensation packages or high taxes, etc that makes it impossible to deliver those cheap products.

And my question is who will buy the crap if no one has a job to pay for the crap?
No matter how cheap it is if you have no money. You have no money.

 

[captain morgan]

And my question is who will buy the crap if no one has a job to pay for the crap?
No matter how cheap it is if you have no money. You have no money.

I'll always have a job - O&G ya know.

Maybe I'll buy it

 

[Sal]

And my question is who will buy the crap if no one has a job to pay for the crap?
No matter how cheap it is if you have no money. You have no money.

There will always be the rich, they control the world economy. They need us minions to keep them rich. Don't worry, they will ensure things stay level. They always have and always will. Been too long since I could name any of them, but essentially they hold and pull the strings and we dance the dance.