Image from digitalartserved.com
Extinction of the golden treat?
By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer
Hostess, the maker of some of America’s most beloved products, is closing its doors. With the formerly proud brand disappearing, many have panicked at the thought of losing the Twinkie forever. However, they need not fear.
While boxes of the popular sponge cake continue to sell at hilariously inflated prices on eBay ($50 being a common figure), the rush to stock up is quite uncalled for. There has already been considerable interest shown by various companies in purchasing parts of Hostess. Twinkies, Wonder Bread, Ding Dongs, and the like will undoubtedly live on. This news really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The brand is a household name; any buyer with half a brain should be able to figure out how to right the ship in no time. For those who need Twinkies immediately though, eBay seems to be the only option. Or is it? “There is another” (Star Wars continues to be applicable in everything).
Where does the Twinkie live on? In Canada! Our maple syrup-swigging, hockey stick-swinging country has yet another feather to add to its cap. Home of the Twinkie. Saputo Inc. will carry on producing the snack. “It’s totally separate,” said Sandy Vassiadis, a spokeswoman for Saputo. “We own the rights in Canada so what’s happening in the US doesn’t affect us.” Wonder Bread is safe, too, as its rights are owned by George Weston Ltd. Canada looks to be set for some major immigration from the USA.
The real story here though, the one that everyone manages to have skipped over, is the loss of thousands of jobs. By the time Hostess completely shuts down its operations, over 18,000 workers will have been forced to hunt for new opportunities. But they went on strike, didn’t they? Isn’t it their own fault? Yes and no. In the majority of cases, I don’t understand strikes at all. The wages lost during strikes can sometimes equal a figure greater than that for which they are holding out. In addition to this, strikes harm the image of the company they work for, which can hurt profits, and, as a trickle-down effect, ultimately lead to workers taking a pay cut. Oh, the irony.
That being said, I actually supported this strike. If you’re wondering what bred the situation, the workers for Hostess had already been through various pay cuts over the years, and, at some point, you have to take a stand for what’s right. A prime example of this is one Missouri worker, Kenneth Johnson, who went from earning approximately $45,000 five years ago, to $35,000 last year. On top of this, the head honchos were increasing their own salaries whilst their employees suffered. Some company officials reportedly received raises of up to 80%, while others got sizeable severance packages. And if all that wasn’t enough to drive Hostess into the ground, their collection of out-of-date and inefficient factories ensured the brand’s demise.
Hostess is gone, but Ding Dong, Twinkies aren’t. Ho Ho!
