I have been asked by many of my Union Brothers and Sisters to provide a single link that includes Union resources and lists my 15 minutes of fame so they can use it to combat misinformation. We could sure use some help from all y'all Kossacks.
The media MUST be set straight if we are to maintain momentum.
Please be on the look out for false or inaccurate reports.
Paste inaccurate links into the comments of THIS DIARY so we can all send the authors polite emails correcting them.
Posting in the comments of inaccurate articles will show readers our side of the story.
We need your help Kossacks. This helps Hostess workers earn public support that is very important to keep pressure on Hostess to sell quickly and preserve as many of these workers as possible. Public opinion is affected by accurate information. Even if we don't save Hostess it will help people understand how hedge funds actually work.
These owners are not bakers. They are banks out to maximize profits on the sale of Hostess assets, such as the baking facilities and brand names. They will break up the parts and make enormous profits while eliminating jobs and knee-capping a huge sector of the middle class that is spread from coast to coast.
How do we save at least some of these jobs?
1) We can save these jobs by selling the brands to a legitimate baking company. We have not lost yet, there is no reason to write our obituary.
2) This ownership has got to go. We need owners with the goal of making profits by selling an efficiently produced high quality product.
Why would the new buyers want the former workers?
1) This team of Bakers are some of the most capable and efficient bread and cake producers in the world. Their collective training and experience is irreplaceable.
2) They could step in day one and restart production. After some cleaning, I'm sure.
What are the cuts demanded by the company?
1) 8% hourly pay cut in year 1 with additional cuts totaling 27% over 5 years. Currently, I make $16.12 an hour at TOP rate of pay in the bakery. I would drop to $11.26 in 5 years.
2) They get to keep our self-funded pension and retiree insurance contributions for ever, over $4 per hour.
3) Doubling of weekly insurance premium.
4) Lowering of overall quality of insurance plan.
5) TOTAL withdrawal from ALL pensions. If you don't have it now then you never will.
Why did the Union turn down the offer?
1) To force the company to negotiate in a serious manner that did not steal years worth of unpaid pension funds. We will risk closure for our pensions.
2) If the company will not take our pension off the table then we intend to help force the sale through liquidation in hopes of finding new, more reasonable, owners.
The Pension Borrowing Letter
My favorite part: "Let me be clear that this temporary suspension of payments to the pension funds will not affect your pension benefits"
Bakers Union Fact Sheet
Bakers Union Website
My 15 minutes of fame
CNN Money I complained about their coverage in an email and then they quoted the email in a follow up story.
Inside the Hostess Bankery. My Dailykos diary that got a lot of attention and really showed me that the media could be affected.
CNBC Monday interview on Closing Bell I was asked to be interviewed about Hostess to show the Unions side. I'm not sure I was what they expected!
David Waldman read my diary over the air on dkos radio and related it to larger labor issues. It starts at the 1hour and 45minutes mark.
I was then interviewed by David Waldman on Wednesday morning. I start at 1hour 9minutes mark. After I stopped embarrassing myself by not getting Skype to work while they waited.
CNBC Wednesday debate with anti-union lobbyist video This was my second appearance. I would love to debate Justin Wilson one on one without people for him hide behind.