# Unions in America: When did the narrative change?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unions-in-america-when-did-the-narrative-change/633126>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 30, 2012, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unions-in-america-when-did-the-narrative-change/633126 "2012-08-30T10:27:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 25

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**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unions-in-america-when-did-the-narrative-change/633126/481 "2012-11-20T19:32:45Z")

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I want to revive this thread because of the two big news items happening concurrently.

Hostess going under is a big deal since it seems that many people who haven’t eaten a Twinkie since their youth suddenly are sad that they will be unable to continue not eating them, or something.

And boy, Hostess sure didn’t scrimp on the cream filling when [pointing the finger of blame](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-34222_162-57551319-10391739/union-bosses-and-wall-street-vultures-blamed-for-hostess-demise/):

> [@](#):
>
> When Hostess announced it was going out of business, citing a labor strike that limited production and distribution of the company’s products, a conservative group called Americans for Limited Government was quick to pin the blame.
> 
> The group said in a press release that “you can almost hear the union bosses…gleefully celebrating the destruction of one of America’s most enduring brands.” That claim came despite the fact that these “union bosses” are presumably among the 18,500 workers who are being laid off from the company.
> 
> “More than 18,000 workers are unemployed today because of the greed and short-sidedness of labor bosses and their followers who have chosen to destroy their own jobs rather than make concessions that would allow the company to survive,” said Bill Wilson, president of Americans for Limited Government. “It is common for parasites to kill their hosts, but it rarely happens in a way where so many people can see it.”

Many were quick to agree including [James Sherk](http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/333668/blame-unions-hostess-bankruptcy-james-sherk#), senior policy analyst in labor economics at the Heritage Foundation and [Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/16/hostess-brands-to-liquidate-lay-off-18500-after-crippling-union-fight/).

Meanwhile, the more responsible media is reporting that while pleading poverty while doing union negotiations, they were awarding [hugely inflated corporate salaries and bonuses](http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/BREAKING-NEWS/HOSTESS-BRANDS-BLAME-UNION-FOR-COMPANY-S-WOES-br-In-bankruptcy-wants-to-pay-1-75-million-in-executive-bonuses-1179045). Others have realized that [Romney-Style Economics Behind Decline of Hostess, But Workers Are Paying the Price](http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/16/1162379/-Romney-Style-Economics-Behind-Decline-of-Hostess-But-Workers-Are-Paying-the-Price).

I have not even mentioned what’s going on with [Wal-Mart and Black Friday](http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/20/pf/walmart-black-friday/)!

The reason I am reviving this thread with this is it seems that possibly if the public realizes that Unions are not at fault for Hostess - that management and vulture capitalism killed the Twinkie and all those Union jobs. That it is ludicrous for Wal-Mart’s owners to own as much wealth as 40% of the country but that part of Wal-Mart’s benefit package is to help their workers file for government assistance since their pay is so low.

Will these events see a turning of the tides in how Americans feel about unions?

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