Twinkies bakers say they'd rather lose jobs than take pay cuts

reuters ^ | 11/22/2012 | By Carey Gillam and Martinne Geller

[tobyhill]

After several years of costly concessions, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union (BCTGM) authorized a walk-out earlier this month after Hostess received bankruptcy court approval to implement a wage cut that was not included in its contract.

With operations stalled, the company that makes Twinkies and other famous U.S. brands said last week that liquidating its business was the best way to preserve its dwindling cash. It won court approval on Wednesday to start winding down in a process expected to claim 15,000 jobs immediately and over 3,000 more after about four months.

Interviews with more than a dozen workers showed there was little sign of regret from employees who voted for the strike. They said they would rather lose their jobs than put up with lower wages and poorer benefits.

"They're just taking from us," said Kenneth Johnson, 46, of Missouri. He said he earned roughly $35,000 with overtime last year, down from about $45,000 five years ago.

"I really can't afford to not be working, but this is not worth it. I'd rather go work somewhere else or draw unemployment," said Johnson, a worker at Hostess for 23 years.

[Yo-Yo]

"I really can't afford to not be working, but this is not worth it. I'd rather go work somewhere else or draw unemployment,"

There's your problem right there. With almost 2 years's worth of unemployment benefits, these guys can get paid almost the same for doing nothing, work part time under the table, and be eligible for Medicaid and Obamaphones.

No, Obama didn't give out "gifts" to buy votes...

[verga]

How are they going to go home to their spouses and explain that they decided to take 100% of nothing rather than 92% of their current salary?

I know I would have been sleeping with the dogs for the foreseeable future.

[tobyhill]

In most states the unemployment has gone back to a Tier 1 and Tier 2 only which is a max 52 weeks. In most states the max is $350 a week compared to the $670 a week the workers were making. Also keep in mind that they will have to pay for Cobra at $300-$400 a month instead of the $100 a month they were offered.

[Venturer]

Hmmm. That 5 years ago when he was making $45,000 was under Bush.

His new pay of $35,000 is under Obama, and I don’t have a hard time believeing him on that one.

He probably voted for Obama though.

[Vaquero]

Uncle Bama will take good care of his worm ridden union filth (apologies to George Lucas, Han Solo and Jaba the Hut)

[grobdriver]

"I really can't afford to not be working, but this is not worth it. I'd rather go work somewhere else or draw unemployment,"

And there you go.
Obamacare for medical, unemployment for cigs and beer, food stamps and Obamaphones for day-to-day living... why should he work?

[sternup]

down from about $45,000 five years ago.

and let me think...who was POTUS back then?

[snoringbear]

I have read that when all the benefits are comprehended, that about $40k is the break even number for working vs going on unemployment as that’s about what all the available benefits add up to. However, the number may be even higher in this instance.

[Truth29]

Now they can be Obama drones for life (if they weren’t already). Handouts for votes.

[madameguinot]

That explains all the major electronics purchases by men in the middle of the week, during the day, I see whenever I go to Best Buy. Let’s put it this way, by their dress, these people are likely not a) physicians on call b) creative dot.com types working out of their home.

[tobyhill]

“They’re just taking from us,” said Kenneth Johnson, 46, of Missouri. He said he earned roughly $35,000 with overtime last year, down from about $45,000 five years ago.”

Kind of interesting because ole Kenneth here, if what he says is true, has just admitted the Bush economy is a lot better than Obama’s.

[PowderMonkey]

"not a great wage"

Probably because it's not a great job. Certainly not a great career, but a great motivator for not letting the grass grow under foot. Ken is simply identified as a "worker," who spent 23 years in a vulnerable dead end job, kept on life support by union intervention, but ultimately euthanized by same. I assume he wasn't a plant engineer with advanced degree in industrial engineering. He made $45K with benefits, pouring bread dough into baking tins, and claims they were taking from him?

[Covenantor]

Say, any of you baker fellas interested in a game of cards?

[mazda77]

It won’t be 99 weeks if sequestration is enacted. It goes back to the 26 weeks.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

The whole thing is very depressing, for a variety of reasons. It seems we are circling the drain as a society. What the Obama crowd doesn't, or won't realize is that the flip side of ‘a rising tide makes all boats float higher’ is that a falling tide makes all boats float lower, not just the so-called 1%. Those with the least buoyancy will go down first.

[muggs]

It is my understanding, you can’t collect unemployment if you are unemployed because you refused to work.

[autumnraine]

After reading about the “liquidation bonuses” the CEO’s want to pay themselves, I am sort of feeling a little sorrier for the workers.

If this is how they act when in bankruptcy,how were they acting before?

I think unions are parasites, but I have no sympathy for greedy, grabby upper management who don’t mind seeing a business go down while continuing to pay themselves ‘bonuses’ like that.

[muggs]

In most states the unemployment has gone back to a Tier 1 and Tier 2 only which is a max 52 weeks. In most states the max is $350 a week compared to the $670 a week the workers were making. Also keep in mind that they will have to pay for Cobra at $300-$400 a month instead of the $100 a month they were offered.

Not only that, IF they qualify for unemployment, they are going to get hit will a tax bill at the end of the year. They really are a bunch of idiots for walking out. They will never recover financially.

[Caipirabob]

Paging Baraka-Claus...

"Twinkie Shrugged..."

[Salamander]

You ever see a union boss driving a beat up used Gremlin?

There’s a reason why you won’t.