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Twilight for Twinkies? Hostess Workers Strike as Company Struggles

MaggieD

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Bankrupt Hostess Brands Inc., makers of iconic snack treat Twinkies, has been paralyzed by workers' striking over diminished health benefits and longer work days.Striking workers formed a picket line at the company's Sacramento, Calif., plant Sunday, two days after the walkout began when the company imposed a contract that would cut wages by 8 percent. The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union said the contract would also cut benefits by 27 to 32 percent.
The Twinkie has become such an iconic snack food that when she was first lady, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton included it in the millennium time capsule. But Irving, Texas-based Hostess might soon be history after workers launched the strike Friday.

Hostess CEO Grey Rayburn said the faltering company cannot handle the industrial action.
"We've been very straight forward that the business can't withstand the significant work stoppage," he said. "If this strike continues, there is certainly a risk that Hostess will go out of business."

Since people have lost faith in their companies, most employees probably don't believe the company that they'll go out of business with a significant work stoppage -- and that they need to make these cuts to survive.

Too bad.

Twilight for Twinkies? Hostess Workers Strike as Company Struggles - ABC News
 
OMG, that's so very sad. Twinkies are one of the simplest sweetest treats of my lifetime.
 
Since people have lost faith in their companies, most employees probably don't believe the company that they'll go out of business with a significant work stoppage -- and that they need to make these cuts to survive.

Too bad.

Twilight for Twinkies? Hostess Workers Strike as Company Struggles - ABC News

People have lost faith in companies because the companies engender bad feelings. I once worked for a company that started by giving every employee an ownership stake. Some people got a big "bonus" when the company was sold. New company didn't continue that way, even though it was a great contributor to the company's success that they wanted to buy!

Why would we believe in companies that can cut us loose anytime? What I see is that workers are upset because they DID have faith in the company, and now the company wants to cut them out of the picture. It's probably not the first time either. Did the execs take a pay cut? They should do that so that when they ask for the same there's a shared sacrifice.

Basically, what I'm saying is if there's shared success and shared sacrifice, that's where you engender faith from your employees. When you treat them like underlings, not so much.
 
Twinkies have outpriced the market. Little Debbies are cheaper and comparable to the average consumer, and store brands have come along well too. Cheaper and good enough for a sugar fix.
 
Isn't 92% of a job better than no job? Bring production back to Texas, and save the Twinkie! USA, USA, USA...
 
Twinkies have outpriced the market. Little Debbies are cheaper and comparable to the average consumer, and store brands have come along well too. Cheaper and good enough for a sugar fix.

But Little Debbies are infinitely inferior products. :)
 
But Little Debbies are infinitely inferior products. :)

They are getting better. Unfortunately I can no longer find their jelly filled version of the twinkie they called angel rolls. I hate twinkies, but the hostess coffee cakier version products are good.
 
They are getting better. Unfortunately I can no longer find their jelly filled version of the twinkie they called angel rolls. I hate twinkies, but the hostess coffee cakier version products are good.

My personal favorite is the Zingers, with the pink berry and coconut coating. :mrgreen:
 
My personal favorite is the Zingers, with the pink berry and coconut coating. :mrgreen:

I cannot do coconut ever again. Used to love it but ate something with coconut hours before I suddenly fell to the worst flu ever in my life and for three months every single thing I put in my mouth tasted like coconut and not in a good way.
 
I know one person very upset by this predicament

tallahassee-zombieland-costume.jpeg


But seriously...always kind of sad to see long standing brands doing poorly
 
Sorry - but they've done little to prevent the inevitable over all these years.

They have seen the entire health of the nation shift.
Everyone has taken on new and different snack options.
And they responded by doing what - nothing.
They have had the same snacks and breads . . . they've done little to change with society's interests and preferences.

Change - is essential to keep a business going.

And you know - Twinkies are the only thing they make that I eat - I don't like any of their breads and I don't need ding dongs and hohos (which are just disgusting). Everyone got fat - went on a carb-free diet - or went to fresh fruits and veggies - and abandoned a lot of breaded goods in general . . . and they did what exactly?

They should have slowly shut down and reorganized their business structure over the last 10 years as people became more and more health-conscientious.
 
I know one person very upset by this predicament

tallahassee-zombieland-costume.jpeg


But seriously...always kind of sad to see long standing brands doing poorly

Thanks for the laugh, Herndon.

-Cabot

(no names - Tallahassee's rule)
 
I know one person very upset by this predicament

tallahassee-zombieland-costume.jpeg


But seriously...always kind of sad to see long standing brands doing poorly

Hehe- excellent catch. I had forgotten about the endless search for the Twinkie. :lol:
 
Hehe- excellent catch. I had forgotten about the endless search for the Twinkie. :lol:

:rofl

He even says the perfect thing for this situation: "Some day very soon, Life's little Twinkie gauge is gonna go... empty."
But they're stubborn and fighting back so, "Oh, this Twinkie thing, it ain't over yet."

That's the spirit.

But serious - Hostess sort of **** itself by not changing with the times.
 
Twinkies are gross. .

Just because they are soft and cylindrical, and squirt out white stuff when you nibble on them, that doesn't make them gross.
 
Eh, they would have become illegal in this country in a few years anyway.
 
Isn't 92% of a job better than no job? Bring production back to Texas, and save the Twinkie! USA, USA, USA...

Tommy Boy worked for two companies (union shops) that told their workers the same thing: take concessions or we are going to have to close the plant. In each case, the unions said, "You're liars!!" In both cases, the plants closed. On the second one, Tom believed them and tried to talk to other workers. They'd have none of it. Their union said, "Strike!" They struck. The company closed three or four months later. Pensions taken over by the PBGC, retiree healthcare lost . . . what a tragedy.

These workers are foolish, in my opinion. Their unions should be working with the company, not against it.
 
Results of the "War on Fat"
 
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