Union pensions to make offer on HOSTESS? (save the twinkie)

[Omaha Steve]

Several unions are trying to make this happen. No link yet.

[Arctic Dave]

1. I hope so.

I wouldn't mind our union buying in.

[Please proceed]

2. I'd eat a few for the cause if it happens.

[oldhippydude]

3. a union co-op is a great business model...

this has great potential...

[gollygee]

4. I don't even like Twinkies

and I can't have chocolate so I can't eat their other treats either.

But I'd have to find a way to support them if this happened!

[TheKentuckian]

5. This type of thing is probably our best bridge opportunity now.

Wait for the "job creators" to crash and burn brands and industries and claiming the carcasses off the bone pile for the last profit chance. Turn them around under collective American employee ownership.

We need strong legal caps on market saturation as well. At a certain point, after everyone else goes down, there is no incentive to maintain the product, much less ever improve it. Limits on markets would be wise too. As soon as Wallyworld gets funeral services, they'll access every spent dime.

They are into medicine now. Imagine going to medical school and through residency and your ass still is clocking in at Walmart. That is our world if we don't start making sense. Economic singularity is not conducive to living wages for our family, friends, and neighbors near and far.

[SoCalDem]

6. The company won't allow that to happen..It will end up a bargain-sale for Bimbo (or another biggie)

union crushed/pensions dumped, it will re-open as a low-pay company that will pick up where they left off, and probably file again for BK as soon as legally possible..to eliminate debt created from this go-round.. It;s how "modern" capitalism works

[Doremus]

7. They will if there is $$ to be made.

Conscienceless corps have only one motivation: $$$$. If the co-op offers more than Bimbo they won't turn it down.

[FarCenter]

8. I'd think that its bankruptcy sale is court supervised, so they have to take the best offer

If the union pension funds outbid the others, they could get the company.

Making it profitable is another story.

[wilsonbooks]

11. As I understand it the big problem is the debt.

Bankruptcy would clear the dept. Hostess has lots of great brands and with good management and little debt it should flourish.

[FarCenter]

14. The brands only seem great due to nostalgia driven promotion by the MSM.

The bakeries are likely old, ill-maintained, and inefficient.

[Omaha Steve]

16. ON THE MONEY$

The bakers union made concessions a few years back to update the facilities. The resulting extra cash was then given as a stock bonus and management bonus etc...

[Matariki]

9. That is exactly what I was hoping would happen.

Was listening to a BBC program talking about 15,000 laid off workers and interested buyers in the company and was thinking how cool it would be if the laid off workers could band together and buy the company. Run it like Ben & Jerry's.

[Gman]

10. I had been thinking for a while that this would be a good investment for union pension funds

good product, name recognition, all the right things if the company is run correctly.

[Cal Carpenter]

12. Wtf?! THat sounds like...like....SOCIALISM ZOMG!!1!

(wow, haven't used that bouncy guy in forever. I think all this Walmart protest news is getting me all feverish today!)

[dmr]

13. I could go for a Hostess Cupcake right now.

That's my favorite. I don't usually buy them, but I crave them. In fact, a couple of months ago, I asked for them as a stocking stuffer.

Mmm, mouth's watering ......

Solidarity to the unions!

[Raine]

15. I hope they are successful. nt

[tavalon]

17. Why?

Twinkies are bad for your health.

[socialist_n_TN]

18. Yeah, but a union owned company MIGHT........

make the decision to make healthier snacks. Although probably what would happen is they would keep the unhealthy lines and just add some more healthy ones. That however, is the advantage of worker control. The workers could decide what to make and sell under the Hostess brand and that MIGHT include something healthy.