The Unions killed the Twinkie

[Cliche Guevara]

http://gothamist.com/2012/11/29/as_hostess_fades_executives_get_19.php

The bullshit the executives are pulling continues. Is there actually anyone left who thinks it was the union that killed Hostess?

[Ryan Stewart]

That is not uncommon. If you research you'd find that the bonuses were part of employment agreements as a way to get people to come on and stay with a dying company. Otherwise its tough to get people to come in and be the ass hole that has to wind down a failing company (getting death threats, having your name in the news, knowing there is no stable job at the end of the tunnel). Its a part-time gig. Not saying its right, its just how the negotiations go. Otherwise they risk someone getting tired of it and bailing before successfully cleaning up the mess left by the previous administration.

[mar1t1me]

This is what happens when you dont Tow the party line and Correct PC mantra at NPR

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=130712737

I'm sorry, but anyone who is so ignorant as to say something like that needs to not be in journalism. His comments betrayed his xenophobia, and with it an inability to realistically appraise risk. It is lost on such people that the hijackers of 9/11 were not dressed in the "Muslim garb" that so frightens Williams.

[mrsleeve]

Oh Yes that is such a hateful and racist thing to say

Its no differant than saying you locked all your doors and ran some stop lights when you found your self on the south side of Chicago or the wrong neighbor hoods of detroit........

Another case of the overly PC world we live in..............................

[BraveUlysses]

Oh Yes that is such a hateful and racist thing to say

Its no differant than saying you locked all your doors and ran some stop lights when you found your self on the south side of Chicago or the wrong neighbor hoods of detroit........

Another case of the overly PC world we live in..............................

That's a terrible example.

Yes, you're proving his point very well.


People who complain about the world being "too PC" are most likely the same people that wish they could still say "******" in public

[mrsleeve]

Obviously you have never stumbled into the wrong neighborhood in Detroit then have you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


No I could care less about what racial slurs are acceptable or not, really thanks to the 1st amendment they all are protected speech anyway so its only really a question being political and socially correct. The notion that its not ok to feel a certain bit of self preservation, and "uneasiness" around individuals of a particular demographic. A demographic of which you are not a part of that segments of which are openly hostile towards your demographic is NORMAL. Its self preservation and a part of our baser instincts, and genetic programming, to be warry of things that may case you harm. Ignoring them is what got humans killed to for hundreds of thousands of years

Is it unfounded? Yes and No. In Mr Williams case more than likely YES, but you cant him fault for being honest about it. Being honest about your fears especially mostly unfounded ones, is how you get past them and overcome them. Since Mr Williams came clean in a public way, and his stance was not in line with the mantra of his primary employer he was shit canned. Right wrong or indifferent its most defiantly a product of of this overly PC main stream culture, and frankly its a big problem that keeps all of us from having any kind of true honest discussions about the problems within our society with our selves. Out of pure fear that we will offend someone that is different.

And by the way its always the most bigoted and racist that drag discrimination and racism, into a discussion the first, the loudest and the longest. even when there is no racial connotation to the topic at hand.

[long tall eta]

with out unions, how many fairly low paying jobs would have no health benifits? leaving millions of people that at least now have medical coverage, out in the cold.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Sounds like it's someones fault for not being a useful member of society and their only value is flipping burgers.

We used to have a society where people would strive to advance themselves, now everyone just wants to know that their bene's will be added to their EBT card on the 1ST, and that each kid they have will increase the check they get from Uncle Sam on the 15TH of April. Not to mention it's easier to not work and get free healthcare than it is to work and have to pay for it.

[Kershaw]

so you're saying burger flippers arent contributing to society?

[ck_taft325is]

Sounds like it's someones fault for not being a useful member of society and their only value is flipping burgers.

We used to have a society where people would strive to advance themselves, now everyone just wants to know that their bene's will be added to their EBT card on the 1ST, and that each kid they have will increase the check they get from Uncle Sam on the 15TH of April. Not to mention it's easier to not work and get free healthcare than it is to work and have to pay for it.

lol.


The militant get more militant. I can't comment openly about my current employer but fact that you just threw the entire demographic of working class out with the bath water is a bit far fetched, yeah? I come from very humble, poor circumstances. I work my balls off. In EVERY job I've held I've been told one thing consistently: "You're too good where you are. Sorry, but we can't promote you,". You think that would happen with a Union? I don't think it wouldn't necessarily but, every job? EVERY job?

That whole world of the 50's a lot of conservatives are striving for doesn't exist anymore. Regardless of how green that grass was back when on the other side of that one fence somewhere that no one has seen in years.

[rwh11385]

Welp, Hostess sold: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21758233

[mulletman]

That is not uncommon. If you research you'd find that the bonuses were part of employment agreements as a way to get people to come on and stay with a dying company. Otherwise its tough to get people to come in and be the ass hole that has to wind down a failing company (getting death threats, having your name in the news, knowing there is no stable job at the end of the tunnel). Its a part-time gig. Not saying its right, its just how the negotiations go. Otherwise they risk someone getting tired of it and bailing before successfully cleaning up the mess left by the previous administration.

Call me a simpleton... but what executive management is required to lay off all of your employees and sell the company?

How about this:
1) Stop sending paychecks. Your employees won't come back.
2) Turn the lights off, and leave. Your creditors can seize what's left of your assets as debt payment. Or the federal government can have it. Hey, they do it with dead people, they can do it with dead companies.

The end.


Seriously though, surely it doesn't take paying a few guys 1.9 mil to have the apparently insufferable job of being the guy apparently running a company for a couple of months. No way man, if it was a crappy job with no advancement, it would be easy to get. The market would dictate that.

Here's a more likely scenario: Management guy has a bunch of golf buddies on the board of directors. The company is bankrupt and will be dissolved, but still has a little cash in the bank. Well, someone has to get the cash, so the guy's buddies give it to him. Since he's likely on the board of the companies they 'manage,' he can return the favor later.

These massive bonuses to "retain top talent" while in bankruptcy are a giant sham. Hell, I could manage a company that's already doomed. If the guy will quit because he doesn't get 1.9 million, let him. I'll apply the next day for the meager sum of 1.6 million.

[bmwstudent]

Tastycake already has a version of the twinky out. Looks just like it, saw it at the local deli. Problem solved.

[smooth]

What really happens with these leveraged buy-outs is that a company is solvent but maybe experiencing some issues or isn't having any issues at all, then a private equity firm takes out a loan with a small percentage of the down payment, buys the company out, then saddles it with the buy-out debt and the new executives' salaries.

*then* they have to start cutting jobs and pensions
then the equity firm can sell the name brand for a lot of money without any employment encumbrance

They don't bring talent in to wind the company down they bring the outsiders in so they can force the bought company into insolvency

[mulletman]

What really happens with these leveraged buy-outs is that a company is solvent but maybe experiencing some issues or isn't having any issues at all, then a private equity firm takes out a loan with a small percentage of the down payment, buys the company out, then saddles it with the buy-out debt and the new executives' salaries.

*then* they have to start cutting jobs and pensions
then the equity firm can sell the name brand for a lot of money without any employment encumbrance

They don't bring talent in to wind the company down they bring the outsiders in so they can force the bought company into insolvency

Either way it sounds like douchebaggery on a level achieved by very few.