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 ...
Way to hang tough! Stay tough and go out and collect dues from all of your members now.
Proverbs 27:22 Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
Union bosses called what they did 'inspirational'.
Union business models are busted. They are based on economics from the 40’s and 50’s when unions actually protected worker. Federal law now provides just about all the protection worker need, hence they have become obsolete.
Rake and file are largely sheep that can’t think for themselves. Bottom line is economics trump union thuggery in the long run.
Given this it is hardly a surprise union influence is diminishing.
Yep. You showed them alright.
Ya big dopes, now no one has a job.
Did I miss where in the article the author mentions the Teamsters accepting the terms of the agreement?
And just what kind of “warning sign” do these idiots think they are sending? That management better liquidate now to protect shareholders from even greater losses because unions are going to be stupid and think they can force the company to stay in business and lose money?
I don’t see or hear any of these workers lining up to buy Hostess.
FMCDH(BITS)
So lets see...
Sue Tapley can now list “strike captain” at the top of her resume.
Good luck with the job hunt there Sue!
I disagree. A pretty good percentage of workers are not lazy, they are less productive because if idiot work rules that prevent them from being productive. Union leaders are masters at creating intense peer pressure to conform to a model that is designed for one purpose in today's labor marker, dues revenue through division of labor taken to an idiotic level. Hostess is a prime example. More workers, more revenue for the union.
You miss the point. The union leadership won't starve. They'll do just fine. The rank and file will starve - not that the leadership cares. The ones quoted here crowing about "sending a message" to the evil corporations will get in their Cadillacs and drive to their million dollar homes secure in the knowledge that their future is peachy.
Do any of those union idiots think that anyone will ever hire them knowing what they did to Hostess?
“Hey, look how resolved we are - we’re ready to shoot ourselves in the head; send the American economy ever farther into the sh*tter; and destroy another great, old American company!”
The very definition of the term “assh*le.”
Class warfare. And now they are unemployed.
SUCCESSFUL parasites don’t kill the host(ess).
What did you accomplish?? You and the other UNION THUGS KILLED Hostess Brands!!
pride goeth before the fall
Come on I’d be happy too. Now they can sit at home, watch TV, eat Twinkies, get paid by the government and not have to pay income tax. Welcome to the 47%!
“Hopefully, this will be an example to other companies not to [try to] break their unions.”
Ah, dude, they broke the union, they broke it good.
“I will feel sorry for the rest of the company, including the Teamsters who voted to save the company and their jobs.”
I had posted on other threads that my oldest son had worked for Hostess for 17 years. He told me tonight that it has been 20. Hard to keep track when you get old.
Anyway, you are right about the Teamsters being angry about this idiotic move by the bakers union. Last night my son and co-workers were ready to get out the bats and start swinging.
The drivers did take an 8% cut in wages just to keep their jobs while the low I.Q. bakers not only refused to take a cut, but also wanted a raise. He never wanted to join a union, but after serving in the Air Force he needed to support his ever-growing family (4 kids) and got on at Hostess.
I hear people here saying that they “hope they starve”. It is unfortunate that these people are spouting off without knowing the facts. Yes, that’s directed at you, TexasRepublic. While I do agree with you about the bakers, I strongly disagree that the route-drivers should lose their homes and have their kids go hungry.
Thanks, matt04 for your support of those who wanted to continue working.....panax
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