Posted on 09/11/2009 4:04:51 PM PDT by Leisler
Workers at the Stella D'oro cookie factory in the Bronx were still in shock Thursday as the news sunk in that the business had been sold and was moving to Ohio.
They wondered how they'd pay their rents and mortgages, how they'd find another job in today's recession and what they'd do without health insurance.
"My family is going to suffer," said Evelyn Rivera, a packer at the plant for the past two years. "This is so sad. The company has been here for more than 70 years."
Machine operator Juan Torres, 51, said he doesn't know if he'll have the money for his 17-year-old son, Francis, to start college next year.
"There is nothing to pay for anything," Torres said.
Connecticut-based private equity firm Brynwood Partners announced Wednesday it is selling the popular Italian cookie and breadstick baker to snackfood maker Lance Inc.
The Kingsbridge plant will close at the end of the month.
Workers, who already went through a long, bitter strike that ended in July, trudged out at the end of the day's shift Thursday with hangdog faces and tales of heartbreak.
Rivera said she cannot afford the $1,200 to $1,600 monthly health insurance payments available through her union, Local 50 of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.
"I guess I will go like everyone else on unemployment. Imagine this: 138 people out on the street."
George Kahssay, 51, a plant worker for 22 years, has two children in college.
"They're going to have to skip a few semesters," he said. "I've already sold my car and cleaned out my life savings during the strike. There is nothing left for them or myself and my wife. Obviously, they'll have to get a loan."
He and his wife will also go without health insurance.
"But we will just pray to God that we do not get sick."
After Brynwood bought Stella D'oro from Kraft Foods in 2006, it demanded sharp cuts in wages and benefits. Union workers went on strike in August 2008.
The strike ended in July when a National Labor Relations Board judge ruled Brynwood had negotiated in bad faith with Local 50 and ordered it to pay lost wages and benefits. Brynwood then said it would have to sell the firm.
Alem Fese, 58, a mixer at the plant for 27 years, said she has a $1,500-a-month mortgage and hasn't written a résumé in nearly three decades.
"Who's going to hire me?" she asked. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Really."
Workers, who already went through a long, bitter strike that ended in July.......cannot afford the $1,200 to $1,600 monthly health insurance payments available through her union, Local 50 of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.
so was it worth it?
Hey,labor costs are sure to be lower...as will taxes.And the state/city government thugs are likely to be less menacing...as will the union boss thugs.
LOL! NOT!
The strike went from August 08 to July 09? Who made all the bills for 11 months?
Dadgum unions are the reason these people are screwed. Go to the union office for help.
LOL! Really.
Machine operator Juan Torres, 51, said he doesn’t know if he’ll have the money for his 17-year-old son, Francis, to start college next year.
Is it just me? If not being able to pay your kids way through college defines “poor” then no wonder other countries look at us like a bunch of spoiled rich kids. What ever happened to kids flipping burgers to pay their way through school, or here’s a thought, just go get a job and work up the ladder the hard way.
Bet the house on that one.
Depends. If they're smart they'll go to SW Ohio, near Cincinnati. Columbus would be a second choice. But any other metro area, especially Cleveland/Youngstown/Akron/Canton would be a waste of time.
subsidiary of the Gambino Family
.
A local tannery which made excellent premium auto leather and whose workers were “family” unionized and had strikes going on almost constantly.
“MORE MONEY!! MORE BENEFITS!! MORE VACATION TIME!”
The owner finally had enough, basically said “Screw you” and moved his operation to Mexico.
To this day, the sobbing [former] workers can’t connect the dots.
Looks like the cookie has crumbled for the union. Oh well.
It demanded significant reductions in wages and benefits in order to move the factory to profitability.
"STELLA!!"
“”My family is going to suffer,” said Evelyn Rivera, a packer at the plant for the past two years. “This is so sad. The company has been here for more than 70 years.” “
Yeah, Georgia had a cotton business for 250 years and that’s gone too lady. There is 14% unemployment in a three county area for a region that held factories for two CENTURIES.
"Workers, who already went through a long, bitter strike that ended in July, trudged out at the end of the day's shift Thursday with hangdog faces and tales of heartbreak."
Talk about your bizarre coincidences, who would have ever imagined such unrelated events happening to the same company?
Y’all have the antiquated notion that businesses exist to turn a profit? How quaint. This is the age of The One. The reason for a business’s existence is to pay taxes and lavish pay and benefits on workers past the point of crippling the company so they can in turn pay more taxes and make sure their union bosses get a nice little tidbit too, so they can in turn pay off some democrat somewhere.
This is what my husband is saying to me at this moment. Most of Ohio is big Union country.
Oh gee, I wonder why the union charges so much for health insurance....why don’t they give it to the workers for free?
Thats what they expect the employers to do....
That’s the best news I’ve heard all day! ;-)
Luigi
The real story here is that Gov Patterson and the NY lawmakers have taxed the company out of the state.
The media responsible for the article wishes us to believe this is the very reason we need Obama to change Health Care in the US.
The Union won! Time for a party at the Union hall.
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