Posted on 11/17/2012 10:28:20 AM PST by matt04
Labor leaders in Maine say the resilience of the Hostess workers on the picket line at the company’s Biddeford plant, which is in the process of being shut down after the company on Friday said it would liquidate the business, gives them inspiration in the face of what they believe have been ongoing efforts — by politicians, including Gov. Paul LePage, and corporate investors — to reduce union influence.
Bakers’ union officials and their supporters say also that the demise of Hostess Brands Inc., which failed to convince striking workers to return to their jobs, is a warning sign for corporate investors seeking to squeeze more profits out of the working class.
“Unions have been losing power for years,” said Ken Rumney, a striking worker outside of the Hostess plant in Biddeford on Friday. “This is an exceptional case. If Hostess had been allowed to get away with what they’d been trying to do, other corporations would have lined up to try the same tactics. Hopefully, this will be an example to other companies not to [try to] break their unions.”
“I think we’re the first ones who have stood up and said, ‘We’re not going to let you get away with it,’” said Sue Tapley, the strike captain on hand Friday morning at the Biddeford plant, which employed nearly 600 people. “You can fight them. You can shut them down.”
(Excerpt) Read more at bangordailynews.com ...
The unions fail to realize that there is no more money. The cost of salaries and benefits keeps escalating and the revenues decline.
Our public unions had to accept reality on this and take a pay cut and pay more of the costs of their benefits. The County had already layed off a quarter of the workforce and given early retirement incentives in prior years. Staff was insufficient to perform required functions without delays and stringent prioritization. We could reduce staff no further.
All but one union eventually accepted the cuts. The one union wanted raises and increases in benefits. What planet are they living on?
These unions just don’t get it.
“Don’t come any closer!” they shout.
“Stay right there. Not one more step! We WILL cut off our noses to spite our faces! We’ll do it! Don’t test our RESOLVE! Back off! We mean it. Oh, so you’re going to keep coming!? OK. Well so much for you!”
Snip. Lop. Slice. Hack.
Brilliant. And a good example of why pure “democracy” is nothing more than the stupid masses controlling others through mob rule.
Dear Labor Relations Expert Hilliard: if it was so profitable for the owners and management, why shut it down and sell it? Another idiot working at a university.
Can’t collect if you quit.
You forget about the 99 weeks of unemployment Obama will authorize .
Maine is also known for it’s benevolence in the passing out of EBT cards.
These slugs will have it made in the shade.
I’ve never seen “stupid greedy bastards” spelled U N I O N R E S O L V E before.
Fools, nothing but fools.
Twinkie Shrugs....
“I’ll have a “resolve” on rye with a cold beer” “OH that’s right you can’t eat resolve!” “Make that two beers I think I’ll them.” With as bad as winters in Maine get,maybe they burn resolve in their fireplaces. Oh I forgot you can’t burn resolve either. So sad, too bad.
The thing is, how many more victories can they afford?
Look at the union namde: “Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.” Confectionery and Tobacco are harmful to people and this union is for causing harm to people It serves them rite to be so stubborn and thus harming themselves, as they have harmed others with the products they make. I’m sure that Mayor Bloomberg will hold a celebration for getting those sugarry Ho Ho’s gotten rid of, although down in the hood they may not like the lack of Ho’s and Ho’s.
"Gee Little Suzie, I'm sorry Santa couldn't put presents under the Christmas Tree this year - but the GOOD news is that Santa stood up to the BIG, BAD COMPANY ..."
To the union drones.
This is just like being in a lifeboat, shooting a bullet into the floor (the boat then leaks), and then saying “Jus’ keepin’ it real”. So, Sherlock union members, what is the next step in the game plan? You did not get what you wanted, so you throw a temper tantrum, and the company goes bankrupt and shuts down the factory. Yeah, that’s how you get back at those eeeeevvviiiiil companies, destroy them, shut down their factories, that will show them! So what if you have no job now? Oops, silly me, I brought up a little bit of reality. How rude of me! Well, how ya gonna deal with the bills? Call me in a couple of months and tell me how that is working out for you. What geniuses!
Please tell me this is satire!
-——to reduce union influence-——
Actually the goal is to exterminate union influence.
Ons solution would be to cede Maine to one of the Canadian provences
I think they get it.
Like certain corporations, they have made the conscious decision to align themselves with the government rather than with the citizenry, rather than with their customers.
I think they know that their jobs will continue to decline and that, as more and more companies go out of business/go bankrupt, their pensions will vanish.
They are aligning themselves with the Democreeps because they know the Democreeps will do anything (even steal a presidential election by electronically switching votes from Romney to Obammie the Commie) to stay in power.
And if they are aligned with crooks like that, they know the government will steal the private retirement accounts (read: 401Ks) from the private sector and give it to the unions to save their pensions (national interest, to keep the government up-and-running, economic justice, we can’t afford “austerity riots,” it’s the patriotic way — take your pick which excuse(s) they’ll use).
PROTECT YOUR PRIVATE RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS, FRiends. I predicted six years ago that they’d be coming for them, and they will.
Not sure if unions ever had a place but today they are one of the most destructive entities in the nation and should be snuffed out.
I think the union wanted the sacrifice the Hostess 18,500 workers to give them leverage for the future contract negotiating with other bakeries
....since the lost of 23 plants will definitely reduce bakery capacity nationwide and give unions more power to dictate terms when they threaten to strike at other plants...
What’s the lost of 18,500 jobs to achieve their ends ?
Wow. I wish I could go back a hundred years and invest all of my money in economic illiteracy. I’d be rich.
Dear Labor "Leaders", you've picked the wrong targets. What's reducing your influence is consumers, who are choosing to buy products from other companies. Corporations would care less and have cared less about "union influence", if they are making the money they expect to make. Dear Unions, you have made it impossible for corporate investors to make the money they expect or even make money period. Without making profits, they cannot stay in business. Consumers are refusing to pay the prices you've forced on them, the company loses money and goes out of business.
Math is hard, especially, when it kicks you in the butt.
Here's what's going to happen. Consumers will demand their Hostess cupcakes, HoHo's and DingDong's and they will get them. Other corporations, unburdened by "union leaders" and union influence will purchase the brands, recipes and probably the factories. They will bring Hostess cupcakes, etc. back to demanding consumers. The union workers (not union "leaders") will be bye-bye. Heck, alot may be hired back at lower wages, but no union dues.
Economics is a reality, just as Gravity is a reality. And we all know that gravity is a b*tch.
This article tells me the recession hasn’t gone on long enough. Well, that and the election. The recession will end when people lose everything and decide to work their way out of it.
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