August 19, 2011

Hershey’s Sour Kisses



Hershey's is exploiting international students and, as a bonus, denying Pennsylvanians jobs.

Hundreds of international students signed up for a special U.S. State Department approved visa program designed to promote cultural exchange and international understanding. However, once here, they found themselves working long hours packing chocolates instead of working in a public position. But the exploitation goes further. First they paid $3,000-6,000 for the “opportunity” to work for Hershey. Then they were forced to live in company housing and also were charged for other expenses leaving most of the students with $40 to $140 per week after 40 hours of work. On top of that, when they complained about their working conditions they were threatened with deportation.

You can click here to send a message to John Bilbrey, Hershey Company CEO, that we won't stand for this.

You can also go to Market Square today at 12:30 PM where One Pittsburgh, community supporters and guestworkers from the Hershey plant in Palmyra will be performing a short skit to "inform people during their lunch-break of the exploitation the guest workers faced at the hands of Hershey."
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2 comments:

Ol' Froth said...

OK, when I read this story yesterday I understood the company wasn't Hershey's, but a subcontracted warehouse firm who packs and ships the product?

Not that it makes the exploitation of student labor right.

Maria Lupinacci said...

I understand that it's a company of a company of a company, but:

1) They're all passing the buck

2) "Hershey laid off 700 full-time workers over the past four years and plans to lay off another 500 next year. One might wonder if cheap-labor kids from other countries were always part of the plan.

Meanwhile, Hershey reports a profit for the quarter just ended of $130 million, up from $46 million a year ago. And sales jumped 7.5 percent to $1.3 billion."

3) Hershey should know the deal on the companies they contract.