NBCDFW: Twinkies Maker Hostess Going Out of Business, CEO Blames Union Strike

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Exaclty. My point wasn't to call out who's at the top, it's irrelevant playing a blame game. The bottom line is Hostess was no longer competitive. The Union people just helped hasten a likely inevitable demise. And somebody needs to tell the dough heads that are going out and buying Twinkies as some sort of momento that another company will come along and buy that specific brand so we'll likely continue to see them on store aisles for the forseeable future.

This "no longer competitive" nonsense annoys me. When companies are bought and sold like old Kenny Rogers albums at a flea market, they take on so much debt that it is impossible for them to be competitive. This is happening all over our economy - companies have to achieve impossible growth goals just to meet the debt obligations.

[twa]

This "no longer competitive" nonsense annoys me. When companies are bought and sold like old Kenny Rogers albums at a flea market, they take on so much debt that it is impossible for them to be competitive. This is happening all over our economy - companies have to achieve impossible growth goals just to meet the debt obligations.

If they were competitive it is unlikely they would have been bought during bankruptcy....competitive ones sell at a premium.if at all

[deejaydana]

This "no longer competitive" nonsense annoys me. When companies are bought and sold like old Kenny Rogers albums at a flea market, they take on so much debt that it is impossible for them to be competitive. This is happening all over our economy - companies have to achieve impossible growth goals just to meet the debt obligations.

That wasn't entirely the case here. Hostess had to honor, I believe, hundreds of legacy Union obligations. It might not have been all that sunk them but it was likely the main driver. It would be great if, in a perfect world, they could make a stronger case for re-working the contracts but alas, it doesn't appear that it happened here. The true victims in this particular story were the non-union personnel who were 2/3rds of their workforce. They had to stand by with no say while the ship sunk. I'm sure they love them some Unions at this point. The company also quite simply didn't keep pace with a public that's more demanding with what they eat. It's ok to offer things that aren't of nutritional value but not when your entire catalog is junk. I can't see any difference in their product line from when I ate it in the 1970's (granted there will ALWAYS be a market for junk food).

[DM72]

Twinkies likely to survive-

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268743/con...tguid=oPZBvXpI

Was there ever any doubt?

[Dan T.]

Twinkies likely to survive-

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268743/con...tguid=oPZBvXpI

You sure?

[Jumbo]

K17 hasn't lost his touch.

Posts an article that doesn't really demand the typical right/left marching society responses---which includes those who pretend they don't post as such regularly---and adds one word, and as it unfolds in classic form (i.e. most "going" before they even have all the facts), and with only making one other non-commital post in the thread, sits back and enjoys another multi-page parade.

Good times.

More to the topic----unions and greedy workers so beloved by the left are a major part of what's screwed this country up. Meanwhile, from small business to huge corporations, the greedy owners ("job creators"---yeah, right) and oppressive management so beloved by the right are a major part of what's screwed this country up. Oh, and for the record, the libertarians are just stupid and crazy. I think that about covers it.

[JimboDaMan]

Exaclty. My point wasn't to call out who's at the top, it's irrelevant playing a blame game.

Well, seemed like that was part of your point. At least until you got spanked with the facts.

The bottom line is Hostess was no longer competitive. The Union people just helped hasten a likely inevitable demise.

Another way to say the same thing: company was managed into the ground and the demise blamed on the unions.

And somebody needs to tell the dough heads that are going out and buying Twinkies as some sort of momento that another company will come along and buy that specific brand so we'll likely continue to see them on store aisles for the forseeable future.

Agreed, the brands aren't going away.

[twa]

Another way to say the same thing: company was managed into the ground and the demise blamed on the unions.
.

The demise was up to the union, a way forward was open.

Perhaps the Bakers union should go into business instead of extortion?

[Predicto]

The demise was up to the union, a way forward was open.

Perhaps the Bakers union should go into business instead of extortion?

So anything a company offers is necessary a good deal, and no matter how bad it is, if the union doesn't take it, then they are extortionists?

Thanks for the valuable insight.

[ixcuincle]

So Hostess negotiated with the union to stay afloat, meaning Twinkies will remain in production. This also means Albert Haynesworth can stay happy

[twa]

So anything a company offers is necessary a good deal, and no matter how bad it is, if the union doesn't take it, then they are extortionists?

Thanks for the valuable insight.

When you prevent others from taking a job you don't think is worth doing while actively hurting the business .....Yes

unfortunately legal though

[deejaydana]

Well, seemed like that was part of your point. At least until you got spanked with the facts.

Another way to say the same thing: company was managed into the ground and the demise blamed on the unions.



Agreed, the brands aren't going away.

I said it was a combination of things. Perhaps the most intractable part were the Unions, which is typically the case. Spanked? Don't be silly.

[ixcuincle]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...usaolp00000003

Oh, hey there. A turkey stuffed with Twinkies. We can't say we're surprised -- Thankgiving, after all, is the holiday embodiment of America's love affair with food, and Hostess just announced it would likely go out of business. Thanksgiving + Hostess bankruptcy = Twinkie-stuffed turkeys. It's simple math, people.

The creation is the brainchild of New York City caterer Butch Yamali, who debuted the bird on Tuesday at Kennedy’s Tavern in Manhattan. CBS New York spoke with Yamali, who explained that the Twinkie-stuffed turkey is hardly a gimmick; it's a family tradition. He goes on to describe the dish:

[aREDSKIN]

When you prevent others from taking a job you don't think is worth doing while actively hurting the business .....Yes

unfortunately legal though

So true and really how hard is it to bake a twinkie?? I wonder how much they were making baking twinkies?? If you don't want the job then leave.

[Bang]

When you prevent others from taking a job you don't think is worth doing while actively hurting the business .....Yes

unfortunately legal though

Seems to be the attitude that allows for illegal immigration.
After all, there's definitely some migrants who will work for a dollar an hour. Twinkies aren't THAT hard to bake, after all.

( for most of those reading this...When you get right down to it, i bet YOUR job isn't too hard either.. not hard enough that your boss can't find another person to do it for a quarter of what you make if they really want to. Ask yourself.. what's stopping them?
are you relying on their honor? Or are you relying on what you think is your valuable service? Understand... your service is only as valuable as how cheaply it can be acquired.
You? Your family?
They mean nothing. that guy who can do it for a quarter of your salary can make it work, so you better figure it out before he gets there.

But you won't.. you;'ll sit in your ivory tower and sneer down at those stupid factory workers .. until the wolf is at your door.
(He might not come.. but do understand,, that every time this happens, he gets closer.. the more and more we allow the devaluing of the American worker, that wolf gets stronger and stronger.
China LOVES your attitude, by the way.
This is how they're managing to steal all our money and manufacturing.
They enslave their workers, and we agree with it and support it.. we don't give a flying ****. we pretend we do ifit can score our boy some votes, but actions speak far louder than words.
You gotta wonder,, is there a Xiang or a Zhao ready to do your job? Probably.
(If Mr. Xiang buys Twinkies and starts baking them in Beijing and shipping them to the US, will you be so keen to buy them then? Oh, but that'll never happen.. right? Sort of like the steel industry.. )

. what's the old saying? "They came for my neighbor, i did nothing.. they came for my other neighbor, i did nothing.. and now they're here for me." Gee, I wonder how many people who found out THAT truth felt some of these other things i'm reading? )

So more power to the corp. **** the American worker. (Praise for all thing A'murican... except the people who work. ***** about China, yet play right into the hands of the REAL communists.)

At least that part of y'all's convoluted logic is constant, even if the desire to continue funneling work to other coutries is somewhat mystifying, given all the lies.. i mean campaign speeches that centered on this problem. And it didn't take but a two weeks to show what y'all are really made of, and who your real masters are.


Today's thanksgiving. be thankful someone hasn't figured out how to replace you with someone cheaper yet, so they can pad their own accounts at your expense.
But don't be so laughably ignorant as to think they haven't been looking.

~Bang