Hostess executives sank company
Letters to the Editor November 22, 2012 7:22PM
FILE - This Jan. 10, 2012 file photo shows Hostess Twinkies in New York. Twinkies first came onto the scene in 1930 and contained real fruit until rationing during World War II led to the vanilla cream Twinkie. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)
Updated: December 24, 2012 7:11AM
Some may have thought Jack Higgin’s Nov. 21 editorial cartoon picturing two “union thugs murdering” the Hostess company as being an accurate opinion of what has transpired to the iconic company that produces not only Twinkies, but Wonder Bread, Hostess Cupcakes, Ding-Dongs and many other sweet delights.
But in reality, Higgins’ opinion is far from reality. Hostess Brands Inc., in its various forms, has gone through two bankruptcies in recent years and its owners have piled on millions upon millions in debt, with no plan for paying the debt off. In addition, as the company suffered through the bankruptcies, the managers were “awarded” huge pay increases.
The workers didn’t cause Hostess’ problems. Earlier the workers even gave up some of their pay and benefits to keep the company viable. But I guess it wasn’t enough for management and the owners. In a time long ago, someone was thought to say, “let them eat cake.” Unfortunately, today, the Hostess workers may no longer have the money to buy cake to eat.
Bernard Biernacki, Aurora
Higgins blames wrong side
With his ridiculously overdramatic cartoon about the bankruptcy of Hostess Bakeries, where he depicts bakers’ union as Outfit hit men killing the Twinkie, Jack Higgins has shown that he is a knee-jerk right-wing Ho Ho. Extensive news coverage — in the Sun-Times and elsewhere — has revealed that Hostess has been driven into out of business not by its bakers’ unions, but by Mitt Romney-esque Bain-Capital-style mismanagement. But acknowledging that fact would require Mr. Higgins to join the reality-based community, and that seems unlikely at this late date. And to think, the Sun-Times was once the home paper of Bill Mauldin. That whirring noise you hear is him spinning in his grave.
Bill Savage, Rogers Park
Brown overlooks license flaw
Mark Brown’s Wednesday column favoring driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants claims it makes sense because of traffic safety implications. Mark failed to mention any consequences attached to the proposed law. It’s nothing more than a blatant attempt to make money off of illegal immigrants.
Donald Nauyokas, Brighton Park
CTA owes us some answers
I think it would be interesting to discover how much money is realized by the CTA when passes aren’t completely spent. I bought a pass, and mistakenly paid more than I intended. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has done so. Each pass is calculated to determine its value, but when that total value isn’t used, isn’t that calculated too? If the CTA has a way to determine this, it should show up in accounting records, and should be made public. It might help offset raising fares.
James Washington, Auburn Gresham
We’ve had enough of Jesse Jr.
Really was looking forward to Sneed’s usual “What I’m thankful for . . . ” column. Too bad she wasted so much print space with Jesse Jackson Jr. I think the Sun-Times did plenty of pages on him as it was.
Julie Miklos, Clearing
