7 ms·

Inside the Hostess Bakery

9 points by knappster 14y ago

cantastoria 14y ago
Hacker news?
- Turing_Machine 14y ago
  Yeah, I was expecting something about the technical process behind making Twinkies.
001sky 14y ago
The story of this company is that management and labour are in a pissing match. There's nothing technical in here and nothing insightful on the business side either. This is just PR spin, but its sort of irrelevant. Company has been a financial disaster, and its a dying business regardless, so it sucks for everyone. No winners. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-hostess-failed-hedge-funds-v-unions-2012-11 http://www.businessinsider.com/how-hostess-failed-hedge-fund...
angersock 14y ago
While a lot of people might be annoyed at the lack of technical content, it is a reminder to all who are employees that the cause of Labor is far from secure. For those of us who wish to be employers one day, it's a good example of what not to do.
pbharrin 14y ago
Why are there no software unions, or engineering unions?
- actsasbuffoon 14y ago
  I believe there are some in Sweden. Something like 85% of their workforce is part of a union if memory serves. -- EDIT -- Here are some stats: http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?QueryId=20167 http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?QueryId=20167 Apparently Sweden used to be around 80% unionized in 1999, but the numbers have fallen pretty sharply since then. These days they sit a little below 70%, which is still remarkably high. My understanding is that engineers and other technical people are often unionized in Sweden, but that could be as outdated as my 85% number above.
- snogglethorpe 14y ago
  I'm a computer programmer for a Japanese semiconductor/electronics company, and I'm in the company union, as are all other employees. Japanese unions are rather different tho; they do seem to serve some purpose as an employee-advocate, but are very strongly inclined towards compromise rather than confrontation. [When I first started working here, I was warned every year during the salary-negotiation period to be "prepared to strike!" ... eventually I thought to ask, and was told there had never been a strike... :]

9 points by knappster 14y ago

cantastoria 14y ago

Hacker news?

Turing_Machine 14y ago
Yeah, I was expecting something about the technical process behind making Twinkies.

001sky 14y ago

The story of this company is that management and labour are in a pissing match. There's nothing technical in here and nothing insightful on the business side either. This is just PR spin, but its sort of irrelevant. Company has been a financial disaster, and its a dying business regardless, so it sucks for everyone. No winners. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-hostess-failed-hedge-funds-v-unions-2012-11 http://www.businessinsider.com/how-hostess-failed-hedge-fund...

angersock 14y ago

While a lot of people might be annoyed at the lack of technical content, it is a reminder to all who are employees that the cause of Labor is far from secure. For those of us who wish to be employers one day, it's a good example of what not to do.

pbharrin 14y ago

Why are there no software unions, or engineering unions?

actsasbuffoon 14y ago
I believe there are some in Sweden. Something like 85% of their workforce is part of a union if memory serves. -- EDIT -- Here are some stats: http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?QueryId=20167 http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?QueryId=20167 Apparently Sweden used to be around 80% unionized in 1999, but the numbers have fallen pretty sharply since then. These days they sit a little below 70%, which is still remarkably high. My understanding is that engineers and other technical people are often unionized in Sweden, but that could be as outdated as my 85% number above.
snogglethorpe 14y ago
I'm a computer programmer for a Japanese semiconductor/electronics company, and I'm in the company union, as are all other employees. Japanese unions are rather different tho; they do seem to serve some purpose as an employee-advocate, but are very strongly inclined towards compromise rather than confrontation. [When I first started working here, I was warned every year during the salary-negotiation period to be "prepared to strike!" ... eventually I thought to ask, and was told there had never been a strike... :]