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Hostess workers say company’s collapse a strong message of union resolve
Bangordailynews ^

Posted on 11/17/2012 9:53:00 AM PST by chessplayer

BIDDEFORD, Maine — 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at bangordailynews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: unions
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To: Enterprise

The problem here is that weeks and months will pass, and no company will come to replace that one. In three years time...those folks who ran through all their unemployment money and savings....will come to face reality...moving to another state where jobs exist. The problem then? No union in the background of the new job.


61 posted on 11/17/2012 11:03:53 AM PST by pepsionice
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To: chessplayer; All

From the article:
“Unfortunately in the corporate world, it’s a race to the bottom, it’s about maximizing profits for those at the top,” he said. “When that happens, it’s important for the workers to stick together.”

There is some truth being spoken here. However, it is the nature of free enterprise. Investors use their money to make more money via business....not to be humanitarian. Work is not a charity. If a business is not sufficiently profitable, then the investors go away. Without their capitol, there is no business. It is imperfect and not “fair” by the reasoning of many....but the opposite (government run businesses) are intolerable.

In an ideal world, all would make a “liveable” wage. However, we do not live in an ideal world. NOT all occupations can make a high wage. To permanently destroy a business is NOT a victory for a union....it is self defeating. Unions originally were about protecting the health and welfare of members, not just about getting the highest wages....even if not warranted. I have no doubt that the workers at these plants are indeed “hard working.” However, does an assembly line - low technology - workeer really worth high wages? For that matter, are they even worth wages much above minimum wage? I don’t have the answers....but I know closing a business is NOT a win for anyone involved. It is a tradegy.


62 posted on 11/17/2012 11:08:31 AM PST by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: Menehune56

Union member says, "You'll never take me alive".

LOL!

63 posted on 11/17/2012 11:10:45 AM PST by donna (Pray for revival.)
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To: oldironsides
UNION MEMBERS WHO GO OUT ON STRIKE AND LOSE THEIR JOBS SHOULD NOT GET UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, FOOD STAMPS, SECTION 8, OBAMAPHONES.
64 posted on 11/17/2012 11:12:11 AM PST by ladyjane (For the first time in my life I am not proud of my country.)
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To: pepsionice

“The problem here is that weeks and months will pass, and no company will come to replace that one. In three years time...those folks who ran through all their unemployment money and savings....will come to face reality...moving to another state where jobs exist. The problem then? No union in the background of the new job.”

You are right. Eventually, businesses will move to states where they can operate and make a good profit. I am not sure that “non-union” workers are that underpaid relative to their “union” counterparts.


65 posted on 11/17/2012 11:14:10 AM PST by Sola Veritas (Trying to speak truth - not always with the best grammar or spelling)
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To: cripplecreek

LMAO.....


66 posted on 11/17/2012 11:41:34 AM PST by Gator113 (I would have voted for NEWT, now it's Romney & Ryan.~Just livin' life, my way~)
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To: Lurker
"Labor leaders say..."

The Union bosses still have jobs, it's only the company execs and workers who lose theirs

67 posted on 11/17/2012 11:42:44 AM PST by Oztrich Boy (A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend)
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To: chessplayer

I don’t think they should be eligible for unemloyment insurance either. It’s seems to me they gave up their jobs voluntarily. And if ya’ quits ya’ don’t gets paid for it.

At least one shouldn’t.


68 posted on 11/17/2012 11:45:56 AM PST by onedoug
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

As a business owner who has about 275 employees its a scary thing to know that a card check program could kill my 108 year old business. I was told by my Father who fought the teamsters back in 1973 and won the strike against our company to just close it if it ever got reorganized by the unions again. Today at age 88 years of age he holds the same point of view.

Obama will destroy the family and small business person in America. I have never wanted to sell our business but it might be time to do so. Why worry about 275 employees and their families when I just have to worry about my 8 members of my family.


69 posted on 11/17/2012 11:48:15 AM PST by ncfool (Obama's aMeriKa 2012 can we make it until 2016?)
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To: NEBO

My daughter bought 5 boxes of Twinkies hoping to resale them....


70 posted on 11/17/2012 11:48:32 AM PST by eccentric (a.k.a. baldwidow)
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To: ladyjane

They “shouldn’t”, but they will.


71 posted on 11/17/2012 11:53:18 AM PST by Gator113 (I would have voted for NEWT, now it's Romney & Ryan.~Just livin' life, my way~)
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To: ncfool
Obama will destroy the family and small business person in America.

The big-government/big-corporate/big-union criminal-complex uber alles.

72 posted on 11/17/2012 11:53:33 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the psychopath.)
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To: chessplayer

If the company is liquidated doesn’t that mean that all the employee pensions go away as well?

This whole Union attitude defies common sense.


73 posted on 11/17/2012 11:55:41 AM PST by wayoverthehill
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To: cripplecreek

Borg Warner here in Muncie, IN (remember Muncee transmission decals on hotrods?) did the same thing a few years ago. The union wouldn’t budge, so they closed their doors.
One of my neighbors was three months from her pension vesting and there wasn’t anywhere to transfer so she gets about $300 instead of 2K a month. Talk about cutting off your nose ...
As you mentioned the other day, it also hurt a lot of other `spin-off’ businesses around them as well—the taverns, breakfast cafes, etc. Lots of negative externalities, to use the economists’ and urban planners’ term.

But the important thing is, they “won”. Heh.

(Yeah, in a wacky union empyrrhricst kind of thinking. I’m trying to remember the quote, “Too many more victories like this ... “ and we’re toast?)


74 posted on 11/17/2012 12:10:13 PM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: chessplayer
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.

I hope someone would buy that plant and make JJ Nissen products in it. IIRC, that was the old Nissen plant.

I just hope someone will keep the 'NISSEN' name going!!

75 posted on 11/17/2012 1:09:47 PM PST by ExCTCitizen (More Republicans stayed home then the margin of victory of O's Win...)
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To: ExCTCitizen

Look for the Union Label on the for sale sign!


76 posted on 11/17/2012 1:51:04 PM PST by Conserev1
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