Monday, 19 November 2012

Will the iconic Twinkies survive?

When Hostess shocked America last week by announcing that it would permanently shut down operations, people went rushing out to buy Twinkies and their other favorite Hostess products. The prices for Twinkies even skyrocketed online. The company’s CEO is telling fans to relax. Twinkies will likely survive, but just at another company.

Hostess and its products are recognized brand names across the country and the company makes $2.5 billion in revenue each year, notes the AP. Twinkies alone accounted for $68 million of the company’s 2012 revenue. So, it should be no surprise that Hostess’ CEO is confident that another company will buy the names.

“I think we’ll find buyers,” CEO Gregory F. Rayburn told ABC News. “A few have surfaced already since Friday expressing interest in the brand to acquire them.”

“The problem has always been the cost structure, the union rules, the pension legacy, the pension cost and the cost structure,” Rayburn added, explaining why the company had to close.

Hostess announced Friday that it was closing. The company had imposed wage cuts on employees, which resulted in a nationwide strike.
The company has struggled to compete with healthier snack options. It first filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and then again this January. It will head again to bankruptcy court Monday.
Management mistakes, such as recently revealed pay increases for executives, were also to blame.
While Hostess had said Friday that they would be putting their products up for auction, several people tried to take advantage of the rush to get more Twinkies this weekend. Hundreds of auctions for Twinkies, Devil Dogs and other Hostess products have popped up on Ebay.

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Wal-Mart warns workers on Black Friday strike!

Wal-Mart has filed a complaint with a federal agency accusing one of the largest labor unions in the country of unlawfully organizing picket lines, in-store "flash mobs" and other demonstrations in the past six months.

In its complaint Thursday, Wal-Mart said the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and its subsidiary known as OURWalmart is trying to force the store into collective bargaining even though it is not the official union for Wal-Mart's employees. The UFCW represents over a million meat packers and food industry workers.

The complaint comes just days before Wal-Mart workers' plan to stage nationwide walkouts on Black Firday , arguably the biggest holiday shopping day for any U.S. store. Union-backed groups OUR Walmart and Making Change at Wal-Mart, along with a watchdog group Corporate Action Network are calling on the country's largest employer to end what they call retaliation against employees who speak out for better pay, fair schedules and affordable health care.

The planned walkouts build on an October strike that started at a Wal-Mart in Los Angeles and spread to stores in 12 other cities. More than 100 workers joined in the October actions.



Wal-Mart said that while it respects its workers federally-protected right to express concerns, it will also act to protect its stores and customers "from illegal and unprotected conduct that threatens safety or business operations," such as protestors trespassing on Wal-Mart grounds and interfering with business.

What are your opinions of this walkout?Do you think this walkout can affect you and I, and if it does how will it?


Friday, 19 October 2012