Hostess, Bankrupt Maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, Pushes Major Concessions on Unions

[xchrom]

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/12648/hostess_bankrupt_maker_of_twinkies_and_wonder_bread_pushes_major_concession/

In a move unnoticed by almost everyone, this month the corporate owner of Twinkies and Wonder Bread moved decisively to put the labor rights of thousands of its workers on trial.

A federal judge has scheduled a trial for March 5 to decide whether the managers of Hostess Brands have the right to unilaterally cancel labor contracts for some 15,000 union members working for the company, according to documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

The primary targets in the trial are the Teamsters members who drive the Hostess trucks, and the bakery workers who produce the breads, cakes and snacks that have made the company famous. Currently, Hostess operates 36 industrial bakeries and hundreds of outlet stores in locations spread across 49 states.

In a statement to In These Times, Hostess spokesman Erik Halvorson all but admitted that scheduling the trial was a pressure tactic to force the unions into concessions now. The company is “committed to reaching a consensual agreement with its unions,” he said, and its courtroom maneuvers “are specifically designed to encourage good-faith negotiations so that we can reach that goal – and that’s what we continue to pursue.”

[Blue Owl]

1. Well I ain't eatin' no SCAB Twinkie, that's for damn sure

n/t

[hifiguy]

2. It is amazing that upper management is never,

ever responsible for a company going bankrupt. It's always the working people who are 100% to blame, never the ones making the decisions. It must be a wonderful thing to be so infallible.

[librechik]

3. Like clockwork-business refuses to take the penalty and shoves it onto the workers

and consumers. If they are typical of the US, then I know why we are failing.

[DoBotherMe]

4. My step-dad drove for Wonder

I was 12 when he became a Teamster. We finally had health insurance and I went to the dentist for the first time in my life. Fuck vulture capitalism. Dana ; )

[leftyohiolib]

5. they should go on strke right till an agreement is reached

put the pressure on mgmnt to start bargining

[lpbk2713]

6. The senior execs and the board members should submit personal net worth statements ...

if they are expecting concessions from their hourly paid employees.

And then we will see who the bad guys are in this scenario.

[hfojvt]

7. it would be interesting to know

how much they make and what their retirement system is like.

[benld74]

8. Whay a bunch of Effin Twinkies!!!!