General Discussion

Javaman

(62,517 posts)

67. this is how it's done...

Tue Jul 9, 2013, 09:47 AM

Jul 2013

Last edited Tue Jul 9, 2013, 10:01 PM - Edit history (1)

first: leverage buy out. destroys a union shop (if it were one to begin with)

second: return with new owners with lower wages

three: those who stay in town (not being able to afford to leave) have to take the same job again at a lower wage but work more hours to make up the difference.

four: workers get burned out having to work additional hours to make ends meet so they turn to "help" to get them through the shifts

five: meth, crank or crack is that help.

six: the slow disintegration of what was a solid working class town.

seven: repukes blame the problem on unions "being too strong or unwilling to compromise"

eight: the middle class overall continues to vanish and is replace by low wages workers who have no power and are meant to feel thankful they have a job, all the while being mentally whipped into servitude.

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Former Hostess Employees Bitter About Wage Cuts (fork lift operator- $11 an hour) [View all] cali Jul 2013 OP

That's what you get when you sign up with the communist party! Turbineguy Jul 2013 #1

You can't make the new owners pay the old wages ceonupe Jul 2013 #2

you're actually defending the evil fuckwads squeezing labor to its last breath? cali Jul 2013 #3

No I'm not ceonupe Jul 2013 #7

The company went BK, Cali Yo_Mama Jul 2013 #44

That is so much BS! TheJames Jul 2013 #62

Exactly. The executives bankrupted company NOT the employees. MrSlayer Jul 2013 #102

Every time I see workers in mass layoffs or salaries cut, it's management that failed to do its job. SharonAnn Jul 2013 #103

Exactly so and welcome to DU suffragette Jul 2013 #108

We have a winner. Welcome to DU. RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #156

You are exactly correct Samantha Jul 2013 #192

bullshit. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #128

that's BS and paired with your denial of global warming, the pattern is emerging CreekDog Jul 2013 #167

That was the *point* of the original company "failing" Fumesucker Jul 2013 #10

So I guess for you the only option would be state owned bakerys ceonupe Jul 2013 #12

No I don't trust "business" - the question is, why do you? demwing Jul 2013 #23

Post removed Post removed Jul 2013 #25

wrong,the greatest companies in the US were not government RUN companies but were heavily subsidized kelliekat44 Jul 2013 #29

FFS, if you are going to come on this site and spout off TBF Jul 2013 #32

He bought a star too! Wow... Agschmid Jul 2013 #37

did you get yours for free do tell? ceonupe Jul 2013 #43

The site supports no person... Agschmid Jul 2013 #132

what happens when you run out of others money to spend ceonupe Jul 2013 #38

You are the one who brought up communism - and as someone who knows a little TBF Jul 2013 #40

seeing as i took 2 sems. on topics about Marx I just disagree ceonupe Jul 2013 #42

Dude, if you're going to take on TBF about Marxism.... socialist_n_TN Jul 2013 #50

I'm sure they will enjoy their stay. Rex Jul 2013 #151

Why do you keep throwing those three terms together Rex Jul 2013 #150

WOW! So many RW libertarian canards, so little time... socialist_n_TN Jul 2013 #45

nothing stopped them from doing just that in fact ceonupe Jul 2013 #56

Yeah, but if you want to talk "communist", the government.... socialist_n_TN Jul 2013 #177

K & R; What he said. TheJames Jul 2013 #68

+ Infinity! - nt HardTimes99 Jul 2013 #136

Nice post Margaret Thatcher. Starry Messenger Jul 2013 #96

... TBF Jul 2013 #200

That's always been an illogical statement. Can't run out of money. haele Jul 2013 #105

"others' money"? HOSTESS is the one who stole "others' money". "Communism" is apparently HiPointDem Jul 2013 #134

"others money", a favorite RW talking point. Enjoy your stay. You won't be here long. liberal_at_heart Jul 2013 #209

... Cal Carpenter Jul 2013 #60

LOL leftstreet Jul 2013 #69

I'll just put this right here - TBF Jul 2013 #201

There are not only 2 choices. How about worker owned fasttense Jul 2013 #26

america has been capitalist since it founding ceonupe Jul 2013 #36

Most citizens from democratic socialist countries in Scandinavia would disagree. Strongly. nt stillwaiting Jul 2013 #48

who protects scandinavia? ceonupe Jul 2013 #78

It does NOT detract from the FACT that their form of socialism has provided stillwaiting Jul 2013 #82

Small, homogenous populations telclaven Jul 2013 #84

Yes, like not having an imperial, corporate military. stillwaiting Jul 2013 #86

When will Military Contractors run out of 'our' money to spend? leftstreet Jul 2013 #74

yep britain who just kept expanding its empire and lost it all in ww2 ceonupe Jul 2013 #79

Post hoc ergo prompter hoc, followed by a bumper sticker, and then a rationalization for summation LanternWaste Jul 2013 #121

LOLOL Skittles Jul 2013 #187

heres why not rdking647 Jul 2013 #93

Actually some investors are starting to divest from WalMart over their shitty labor practices. Starry Messenger Jul 2013 #111

Arguments that begins with "so" so often turn out to be strawmen Fumesucker Jul 2013 #51

you are making my point ceonupe Jul 2013 #72

They are the same class of people Fumesucker Jul 2013 #83

lol - owners are owners period. TBF Jul 2013 #202

Oh I see what you are doing Kingofalldems Jul 2013 #63

Post removed Post removed Jul 2013 #71

Seeing how you are defending the drop in worker wages brentspeak Jul 2013 #75

again ceonupe Jul 2013 #77

Your entire premise is bullshit. SomethingFishy Jul 2013 #110

bullshit, talking points, horsetripe. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #131

LOLOL Skittles Jul 2013 #143

+1. that's the way they do it, hundreds of historical examples. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #130

But you can't blame the new owners" bullshit, corporate toady.. poor mis-understood owners leftyohiolib Jul 2013 #15

why should they they are a business ceonupe Jul 2013 #18

Sadly... KharmaTrain Jul 2013 #41

Post removed Post removed Jul 2013 #46

I see your point about the new owners treestar Jul 2013 #80

Second time you alluded to communism. Kingofalldems Jul 2013 #88

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Jul 2013 #115

Thinks he has all the bases covered. Kingofalldems Jul 2013 #116

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Jul 2013 #120

It appears he is commencing his flame out HangOnKids Jul 2013 #125

agree and looking for the silver lining sweetapogee Jul 2013 #213

Capitalism is not = to corporatism and is not the opposite of communism Spike89 Jul 2013 #207

People have no right to earn a living wage? dotymed Jul 2013 #49

Falling wages are a market failure and a systemic problem Recursion Jul 2013 #106

I remember looking into this when it was going down. Notafraidtoo Jul 2013 #141

they won't move up to 14 an hour when wages are falling CreekDog Jul 2013 #166

I truly don't understand "...has been unemployed since November..." and bike man Jul 2013 #4

22 years experience as a fork lift operator and he's offered $11 bucks an hour. cali Jul 2013 #5

I operated a fork lift in 1960, fresh out of high school. It is not an upwardly bike man Jul 2013 #9

so does 5$ should he now be expected to run that machine for 5 an hour leftyohiolib Jul 2013 #20

The guy is not 'expected' to do anything. He can accept a job at several dollars bike man Jul 2013 #21

puke. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #137

Ooh! Burn. nt bike man Jul 2013 #208

Cali you surprise me. dotymed Jul 2013 #58

What are those extra 20 years of experience worth? joeglow3 Jul 2013 #87

I'd say he's learned not to trust employers or the US government, at a minimum. Also to do the HiPointDem Jul 2013 #138

Nice smart ass way of not answering the question joeglow3 Jul 2013 #149

as another poster has pointed out, $11/hour buys you what minimum wage did in the 60s. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #154

I agree that the wage itself is bullshit. However, NOT because he has 22 years experience joeglow3 Jul 2013 #176

The man worked at the same company for 22 years and maxed out at $16/hour, $33K/year. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #193

Good. Because that is the category I am in. joeglow3 Jul 2013 #203

so what? HiPointDem Jul 2013 #206

You tell me joeglow3 Jul 2013 #211

We don't really know anything about the man. surrealAmerican Jul 2013 #6

And this is the new owners problem how? ceonupe Jul 2013 #8

It's their problem because they will not get good, experienced employees at those wages. surrealAmerican Jul 2013 #14

technology has dumbed down many manual labor jobs ceonupe Jul 2013 #16

no no no melm00se Jul 2013 #33

neoliberal fascism has dumbed down many DU posters. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #198

Can't wait to hear how hard it is to find good workers - at $9 and $10/hour hatrack Jul 2013 #52

OK, you've used up your good will demwing Jul 2013 #24

It's all a con. See Post #67 Hissyspit Jul 2013 #174

The article has more info on him. tammywammy Jul 2013 #28

sounds to me like he is a member of the upper middle class hfojvt Jul 2013 #91

He's a forklift operator and she's an RN Goblinmonger Jul 2013 #94

maybe you missed this thread hfojvt Jul 2013 #99

Per IRS data, average income for the middle quintile of households in 2009 was $64.3K. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #199

I tend to believe CTJ's data hfojvt Jul 2013 #218

Because IRS has the actual income/tax data, not the 'stated' data from census (which btw is noted HiPointDem Jul 2013 #219

"Upper" class? Really? nt Ilsa Jul 2013 #98

upper MIDDLE, yes hfojvt Jul 2013 #100

I apologize. I swear I saw Upper class, not UMC. Ilsa Jul 2013 #104

The guy gets $500/month for a 'pension'. not upper-middle class. Class is about relation to the HiPointDem Jul 2013 #146

Well, that's the second definition I've seen in this subthread. Ilsa Jul 2013 #162

There are only two definitions of class that make any sense. One is about position on the income HiPointDem Jul 2013 #191

who benefits from that kind of a definition? hfojvt Jul 2013 #179

what bullshit you spout. no, the ptb benefit when people like you whine about how a bakery HiPointDem Jul 2013 #190

uhm, it is his wife the RN hfojvt Jul 2013 #194

since you don't know what 'his wife the RN' makes, i'm not sure how it is you draw that conclusion. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #197

who are you kidding? $500 a month pension & he's in the 'upper middle class'? HiPointDem Jul 2013 #140

you are doing far better than average hfojvt Jul 2013 #184

he didn't 'retire at 55'. he lost his fucking job & had his pension stolen. try reading the article HiPointDem Jul 2013 #188

you might try taking your own expletive advice hfojvt Jul 2013 #195

he wasn't in the upper-middle-class when he was working & he isn't in the upper middle class HiPointDem Jul 2013 #196

I guess if I ran out of facts hfojvt Jul 2013 #215

There's no perspective via which a bakery worker is upper-middle class. Even if he's married HiPointDem Jul 2013 #216

When I was in high school, minimum wage was $1.65 an hour KansDem Jul 2013 #11

It's definitely not just you. a la izquierda Jul 2013 #19

+1 HiPointDem Jul 2013 #145

Apparently... Pelican Jul 2013 #13

And that's how it starts...the whole idea behind what's happened to our middle class. maddiemom Jul 2013 #53

We need to raise the minimum wage, and establish a guaranteed mimimum income for those who reformist2 Jul 2013 #17

Forklifts can be damn dangerous. Shouldn't people controlling dangerous machines make a little more tclambert Jul 2013 #22

because technology is rapidly changing this field also ceonupe Jul 2013 #27

When you compare US wages to those in other countries, do you compare healthcare costs too? Demit Jul 2013 #59

Reads like Ayn Rand Kingofalldems Jul 2013 #65

stinks like Ayn Rand too frylock Jul 2013 #117

wage disparity 90-percent Jul 2013 #30

After 22 years and only making $16.53 an hour? SHRED Jul 2013 #31

You would be hard pressed to find a job that offers better pay Harmony Blue Jul 2013 #34

Now yes however... SHRED Jul 2013 #35

gad. my ski bum son is making almost $16 and hour and benefits cali Jul 2013 #47

If he can chef in "an upscale market," he's far from a ski bum. A lot of parents maddiemom Jul 2013 #57

neither humorous or not. just pointing out my shock cali Jul 2013 #64

Good for both of you. My brother and sister-in-law were upset that my nephew maddiemom Jul 2013 #101

It isn't much money at all. n/t duffyduff Jul 2013 #85

by who? it's <$3 above federal minimum wage. 'really good pay' my ass. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #147

Ever been to Emporia? wercal Jul 2013 #39

Slight quibble: The companies do not go to Somalia to find workers KamaAina Jul 2013 #113

I'm going to quibble back wercal Jul 2013 #124

The one post I saw on the subject KamaAina Jul 2013 #126

here comes the new boss, worse than the old boss dembotoz Jul 2013 #54

he should have his unemployment revoked rdking647 Jul 2013 #55

care to explain the worker's culpability in all this? frylock Jul 2013 #118

1 union refuses to cut rdking647 Jul 2013 #164

the unions had already made several concessions leading up to this.. frylock Jul 2013 #171

it doesnt amtter what the boss had done in the past. rdking647 Jul 2013 #180

in addition hostess was losing 100m a year rdking647 Jul 2013 #181

bullshit. hostess increased their execs' pay while they were supposedly 'bankrupt'. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #217

Rd, when you don't know about something, but post as if you do, Mc Mike Jul 2013 #205

my feeling is that UE rdking647 Jul 2013 #214

Unemployment Compensation is an Insurance Program. Mc Mike Jul 2013 #220

welcome to post -citizens united Democratic Party dtom67 Jul 2013 #61

yes, and I'm dismayed as hell to see so much anti-labor shit on DU cali Jul 2013 #66

this is how it's done... Javaman Jul 2013 #67

+1 pinboy3niner Jul 2013 #70

your whole post should be on billboards all over the US. Starry Messenger Jul 2013 #97

big kr. happening in my town. I hate the fucks that are doing this, not only to this country, but HiPointDem Jul 2013 #152

Australia. Bog cleaner. $22+ per hour with allowances. 4 weeks anual leave. TheMadMonk Jul 2013 #73

It worked. Atman Jul 2013 #76

Thought provoking thread tiredtoo Jul 2013 #81

It appears that the responses to this story are either crim son Jul 2013 #89

all right, poke has been taken care of tiredtoo Jul 2013 #90

It can be a risk to eat food made by angry employees. Good luck to those willing to do so. AnotherMcIntosh Jul 2013 #92

They're changing our national anthem to "Serfin' USA". Fuddnik Jul 2013 #95

This article reads like the forklift operators are acting like ungrateful children. Apophis Jul 2013 #107

This message was self-deleted by its author HangOnKids Jul 2013 #129

Wait...what? Apophis Jul 2013 #139

Sorry I thought you were expressing your opinion about the workers. I'm sorry HangOnKids Jul 2013 #142

No worries. Apophis Jul 2013 #178

So a man gives 22 years of his life to a company SomethingFishy Jul 2013 #109

First, $16 an hour is huge bucks in many parts of the country, and $11 an hour is nice as well... Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #112

So your plan is just.. fuck everybody... SomethingFishy Jul 2013 #114

what's your rate of pay? frylock Jul 2013 #119

I am self employed, so it varies wildly, but I am poor. nt Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #133

Executive pay is doing just fine. Never better leftstreet Jul 2013 #122

I don't. nt Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #135

You're the one mocking this guy for not being happy about being paid shit. Gravitycollapse Jul 2013 #172

No, I am mocking the people here who don't get it. nt Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #173

But you're the one who doesn't get it. Gravitycollapse Jul 2013 #189

I live in one of the cheapest parts of the country and 16 an hour is not much. Gravitycollapse Jul 2013 #144

You're right, but it is MORE than virtually any of America's top ten employers pay Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #155

Your argument is basically "Hey it's terrible but there's nothing better so suck it up." Gravitycollapse Jul 2013 #170

$33K is 'big bucks' somewhere in the US? where the hell is that, please? HiPointDem Jul 2013 #159

What "real world" are you living in where 11/hr is "nice"? RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #160

The one we live in. But hey, I guess there's no problem then.... Demo_Chris Jul 2013 #163

The fact that it can get even worse doesn't mean we have to pretend 11/hr is 'nice' RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #168

If the posters who say such things are being serious, I am shocked and amazed. reformist2 Jul 2013 #210

$11/hr for an experienced tradesman is an insult anywhere in the US or Canada. (nt) Posteritatis Jul 2013 #161

Five people in this thread alone defending the slow asphyxiation of the middle class. LanternWaste Jul 2013 #123

Yeah but 16 dollars an hour is a King's ransom... Gravitycollapse Jul 2013 #148

it's disgusting. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #153

it's disgusting. one is retired so i guess the attitude is fuck you, i got mine. frylock Jul 2013 #182

It is appalling. liberal_at_heart Jul 2013 #212

kr HiPointDem Jul 2013 #127

Capitalism at work. RedCappedBandit Jul 2013 #157

Millions of people are working for half what they used to make. limpyhobbler Jul 2013 #158

another company gets away with suppressing wages and we're suppose to believe the liberal_at_heart Jul 2013 #165

K&R liberal_at_heart Jul 2013 #169

Another shameless plug here. tiredtoo Jul 2013 #175

Isn't $11 an hour better than being unemployed michigandem58 Jul 2013 #183

From a strictly financial point of view $11 an hour may be better then being unemployed tiredtoo Jul 2013 #185

Thank you for posting arely staircase Jul 2013 #186

+1, nt. Mc Mike Jul 2013 #204