Last Call for HoHos, Ding Dongs and Twinkies

[Whirlaway]

And don't forget the famous "Twinkie Defense" that some left wing scumbag defense attorney tried to pull. Forever a part of american legal lexicon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkie_defense

[Whirlaway]

Another historic company destroyed by unions:

In total, 18,500 union workers at 33 bakeries and 565 distribution centers are now out of work. This includes over 5,500 delivery routes and 570 bakery outlet stores.

This is Hostess' second tango with bankruptcy court, after it restructured in 2009. This past September, one of its major Teamster unions accepted a new contract with reduced wages and benefits, but their bakers' union rejected the deal that asked for an 8% cut in salaries and also a reduction in pension obligations and health care benefits. According to CNN Money, in exchange the company offered concessions, including a 25% equity stake for workers and the inclusion of union representatives on the board of directors.

Their official strike began last Friday at a plant in Kansas, then spread to other facilities around the country.

Gregory F. Rayburn, chief executive officer of Hostess Brands released a statement this morning: "We deeply regret the necessity of today's decision, but we do not have the financial resources to weather an extended nationwide strike."

[Chica Chaser]

18,000 more people in the unemployment lines. Good grief!

[I B Hankering]

Randy4Andy will be suffering through withdrawals.

[Guest032516]

Originally Posted by Whirlaway

And don't forget the famous "Twinkie Defense" that some left wing scumbag defense attorney tried to pull. Forever a part of american legal lexicon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkie_defense

Did you read the Wiki article? It kind of says the opposite of what you wrote. The term "Twinkie defense" was coined by reporter who completely misunderstood the defense's case. Key quote:

"Twinkies were never mentioned in the courtroom during the White trial, nor did the defense ever claim that White was on a sugar rush and committed the murders as a result. However, one reporter's use of the term "Twinkie defense" caught on and stuck, leading to a persistent misunderstanding by the public. The misunderstanding was mentioned at the end of Milk Gus Van Sant's 2008 biopic of Harvey Milk ... The actual legal defense that White's lawyers used was that his mental capacity had been diminished and White's consumption of junk food was presented to the jury as one of many symptoms, not a cause, of White's depression."

So, it was a basic mental illness defense. Nothing novel about that.

Also, there's no indication White's defense team was a bunch of liberals and White himself was a somewhat conservative politico.

[JD Barleycorn]

Skylar you really don't remember the story of the little North Carolina girl who brought her lunch to school and it was taken away and her mother called? Really? We discussed it here. She GOT IN TROUBLE for having a snack cake in her lunch. The school admitted to being a test school for Michelle. http://reason.com/blog/2012/02/14/no...tor-rejects-li

On a lighter note; I was working with a younger guy and he was killing time on youtube. He found a Carol Burnett skit about no frills flying with Carol as a stewardness. At one point Harvey Korman lit up a cigarette and Tim Conway tried to bum one. This younger guy turned to me and asked when did people smoke on airlines. He was surprised as hell when I said flying used to be completely different. No check points, smoking, drinking, and stewardnesses were loose. Twinkies will be the same thing in 10 years. Little kids will look at you and ask you what a twinkie is.

[acp5762]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Now the racist in you comes out, CBJ7. It's nice you're getting in touch with the real "you". Or maybe not.

Didn't you know CBJ likes those racist snacks.

[LexusLover]

Originally Posted by acp5762

Didn't you know CBJ likes those racist snacks.

"Infection will out" ....

[BigLouie]

Read a funny quote today..."Just when weed is fixing to be legal, twinkies go out of business."

[Guest123018-4]

The idea that a corporation makes money hand over fist, that there is a huge margin of profit in what they produce, that there is an endless supply of customers for your product and that you can just increase the price to cover all costs is the way that far too many people that have no clue about business believe.
the reality of interrupting the cash flow or strangling the chicken in order to get more eggs is shown in this prime example of Hostess. At some point it become a better option to call it quits, liquidate the assets, and pay off as much of your debts as possible. In the end, everyone loses.

Teamsters local in Houston refused to use union labor to build their own building because it was too costly. They used nonunion labor. Solidarity.

[Guest040616]

Originally Posted by The2Dogs

At some point it become a better option to call it quits, liquidate the assets, and pay off as much of your debts as possible. In the end, everyone loses.

Will this mean that the Hostess employees, management and union, are now eligible to collect unemployment compensation benefits?

Just askin'

[LexusLover]

Originally Posted by bigtex

Will this mean that the Hostess employees, management and union, are now eligible to collect unemployment compensation benefits?

Just askin'

No. Just answering.

[LexusLover]

Originally Posted by The2Dogs

Teamsters local in Houston refused to use union labor to build their own building because it was too costly. They used nonunion labor. Solidarity.

On the otherhand, I heard early on that the "deal was made" that ONLY UNION linesmen were allowed to enter NY and NJ to bring the electricity back after Sandy!!!!

[BigLouie]

Twinkies will live on. Another national bakery will buy the name and produce them. Happens all the time.

The problem Hostess had was that most of what they made was bad for you. If you start eating healthy the first thing you do is cut out Twinkies and Wonder Bread.

[Whirlaway]

The problem lies with the prior bankruptcy in 2004. The bankruptcy judge (a Democrat), protected many of the sweetheart union deals (i.e. didn't wipe them clean) which ultimately did the company under this time around.

Had those union contracts been voided; Hostess would still be a viable employer.