A small group of picketers from the Bakery and Confectioners Workers Union Local 9 walk past a closed Hostess plant Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, in Seattle. Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of iconic childhood treats including Ding Dongs, Wonder Bread and Drakes, is winding down its operations after struggling to keep up with rising labor costs and the ever-changing tastes of Americans.
Elaine Thompson, ASSOCIATED PRESS
In recent months, the topic of unions has been on my mind. In certain situations, it has been the action of unions that have led to important safety changes in the workplace to minimize and/or end possible incidents that could lead to severe injury or death.
However, recently there have been decisions made by certain unions that have not improved anything at all. One example would be from the beginning of this school year in Chicago when teachers went on strike because they wanted more money for working fewer hours.
The more recent example at Hostess can give us a warning of the dangers of not knowing the full consequences of going on strike. Now, an American business that has been around for nearly a century, is going to lay off a lot, if not all, of its workers.
The union workers in this case aren't grasping the bigger picture and will suffer with the rest of the people who will be out of a job.
I am not condemning all unions, for there is a lot of good that is done through them. These groups should, however, try to grasp all sides of an argument before going on strike.
Eric Green
Bountiful
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No Mr. Green, you're wrong on so many levels.
Chicago teachers went on strike because they'd reached their threshold of pain about the number of kids in their classes, lack of supplies and equipment, and the increasingly horrible More..
One of the benefits of having a union is that it is so easy to find a scapegoat for the mismanagement of a company. The management at Hostess and the unions lived happily together for most of the company's history until new management took over More..
Unions did not destroy this company. It was destroyed by poor management and a flock of vulture capitalists and outfits similar to Bain Capital.
The workers are the losers. The vultures will walk away with million dollar plus Golden More..