US

Union Workers Target Hershey Chocolate Plant With 1,000-Person March

Hershey Union Workers Plan Protest Over International Student Workers

Foreign workers protested working conditions August 17, 2011. (Photo credit: The Patriot-News)

Union organizers are planning a 1,000-person march in Hershey, Pa. Friday to support international students who say they were duped into coming to work in the U.S. for low-paying factory jobs at the famed chocolate company.

According to the Pennsylvania Patriot-News, debate has been raging for the past month over the foreign student workers, who are working in the U.S. through the J1 Visa program. They came forward in August saying they signed up and paid for a three-month cultural exchange program to live and work in the United States, and instead found themselves in unfair working conditions at a packing and shipping plant with other foreign workers and little contact with Americans.

Hershey Union Workers Plan Protest Over International Student Workers

(Photo Credit: The Patriot-News)

After joining up with the Chocolate Workers Union, a division of the AFL-CIO, about 200 students and union members walked off their jobs and protested outside the plant. In response, Hershey directed the students’ host organization to pay for a week-long paid vacation to tour the East Coast.

Labor organizers are demanding that the students be repaid for the cost of their trips to the U.S. and that the warehouse become a unionized facility.

Hershey Union Workers Plan Protest Over International Student Workers

Members of the AFL-CIO Chocolate Workers Union joined international student workers in protest in August. (Photo credit: The Patriot-News)

The State Department is currently probing the plant, and said in an initial report that the majority of the complaints resulted from insufficient pre-departure orientation, difficult work, high housing costs, few cultural opportunities and lack of responsiveness by the host organization, according to the Patriot-News.

In August, the student workers produced this “Justice at Hershey’s” video to highlight their experience:

Comments (467)

  • pwatkins
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:24am

    One thousand “Hersey squirts.”

    Report Post »  
  • loveliberty83
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:24am

    so many Americans out of jobs & they hire foreigners????

    Report Post »  
    • MaruaderMel
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:32am

      Union Thugery – nothing else and nothing more. Imagine a 8 dollar Chocolate bar…

      Report Post » MaruaderMel  
    • GardenoftheGods
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:33am

      Can you believe it? How many Citizens are out there without work; and they bring these pukes in. Time to put America back to work..these kids don’t appreciate anything. As for the union…I’m sick of them..we need to get rid of all unions; they served a purpose at one time; now they just fill their own pockets.

      Report Post » GardenoftheGods  
    • waspworkethic
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:42am

      Why are so many union employees and their supporters obese??

      Report Post »  
    • MIBUGNU2
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:45am

      Hershey, Say it ain’t so…Can’t TRUST anything or anyone
      anymore…I was one of your best (Loyal) customers…

      Gonna keep an eye on this…

      Report Post » MIBUGNU2  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:48am

      AFL – CIO is at work once again….

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • NeoFan
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:57am

      The fastest way to send jobs overseas is to unionize. The president and union leaders know this but the union members are just too stupid to make the connection.

      Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:05pm

      I won’t be buying Hershey candy for Halloween!

      TEA!

      Report Post »  
    • jerryod1627
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:16pm

      Is this employment issue true or is it another of obama’s schemes set up to cause an incident that he can use to promote his union thugs? Are we getting conned again? Just asking!

      Report Post »  
    • INOGAWD
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:18pm

      GAWD, if you come to America for a Job, You might
      actually have to do some work ??? oh, my GAWD !!!!
      NOOOOOO, BWAAAAAA !!!!!

      Young guy with hat, looks like a union plant, teaching
      foreigners how to protest..WOW !!!!

      Report Post » INOGAWD  
    • encinom
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:23pm

      This is why we need unions, if the corporations could get away with it they would “hire” slaves.

      Report Post »  
    • JHYMAN
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:26pm

      ever find a defect in your car, and you can only imagine the assembler must have been drunk or high to have done this! because his job is protected whether he is drunk or not. Now imagine what a drunk candy maker may produce. scary !!!!!

      Report Post » JHYMAN  
    • Cat
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:30pm

      Sure are going to miss those kisses.

      Report Post » Cat  
    • beekeeper
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:37pm

      I have a friend that works at Hershey, he told me about this a month ago – seems the foreign workers were supposed to go somewhere else, but the jobs fell through, and Hershey hired these folks en masse to take low-paying jobs that used to be filled with summer college and high school students.

      I suspect, but do not know, that Hershey was encouraged to bring these workers in to set the stage to unionize the warehouse after they left. The idea being they could paint Hershey as the bad guy and have some demonstrations with the students.

      These students weren’t originally going to work at Hershey, Hershey (I believe) took them in after they arrived in America and had no other place to work…

      Report Post » beekeeper  
    • sisunisu
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:44pm

      Good point!

      Report Post » sisunisu  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:45pm

      solution- hire american scabs!

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • INOGAWD
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:51pm

      @ Misty Williams

      Very well said…. Seems everyone is expecting a hand-out these day’s..
      I joined the work force after serving 6 years in the Marine Corps…
      The pay scale was $1.25 an hour.. worked my butt off, Raised four great
      Kids..Took a bunch of classes at the local CC and when I retired, I was
      making a good salary.. Learned one thing..Hard Work Pays over the long
      run.I have absolutely NO sympathy for WHINERS and or unions.(leeches)…

      Report Post » INOGAWD  
    • ValiantDefender
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:07pm

      I see two problems here.
      1) AFLCIO is bad.
      2) If the accusations are true, shame on Hershey.

      As far as $6 chocolate bars, oh well. If that’s the real cost of chocolate, then that’s the real cost (unless it gets inflated by inefficiency union workers).

      Chocolate is a luxury and not a necessity, so if something like chocolate skyrockets, we’ll survive.

      Anyone else find it a bit ironic – hope that’s the right word – that its a bunch of young adult women protesting Hershey’s? (Yeah theres guys in there too)

      Report Post » ValiantDefender  
    • JustJ
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:17pm

      @Encinom

      No, don’t need unions. Just the truth. If Hershey is doing shady things, the market will react accordingly. Hershey will have to do right and treat employees fairly if they want me to buy another one of their chocolate bars. However, I won’t be buying their chocolate if the thieving unions take over either. Good luck selling chocolate bars at $3.50 each to pay for outlandish union wages and benefits.

      Report Post »  
    • The10thAmendment
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:30pm

      I won’t be buying anything from Hershey any more, but the union (aka useLESS idiots) are even worse. Save a Pinata, beat a union thug.

      Report Post » The10thAmendment  
    • sweetgold
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:45pm

      To garden and love liberty. I am sure somebody here may have “said” US employers that provide training and jobs in certain categories and for certain foreign citizens can pay lower training wages and the US government provides subsidies to the employers for those same employees. The “foreign workers” go into the program fully informed by their future employer (Hersey in this case) and the government of the country they came from. You think maybe the union might have tainted the process???????? Hmmmm??

      Report Post » sweetgold  
    • MsMonsoon
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:54pm

      Boo Hoo! What ingrates!!

      Report Post » MsMonsoon  
    • TMink
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:07pm

      Well, these foreigners were willing to work. Then they joined a union. Now they want their freedom. I say give it to them and hire some people who actually DO want to work.

      Trey

      Report Post »  
    • JLGunner
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:28pm

      Why are these idiots allowed to protest on my land. They are not citizens, they have no rights. Screw the unions. I went out and bought two big bags of Hershey Kisses. Friggin Yum! These idiot kids need to have their visa revoked for not behaving in my country.

      Report Post » JLGunner  
    • 1Dianne
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:34pm

      thats what i’m saying!!!! why did we hire these people anyway…….when so many AMERICANS are out of work here in the USA!! Doesnt make sense to me….BUT THEN AGAIN I QUESTION ALOT OF STUFF GOING ON THESE DAYS IN MY OWN COUNTRY!! DONT EVEN RECOGNIZE AMERICA ANYMORE…..GOD HELP US!!

      Report Post »  
    • Sleazy Hippo
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:39pm

      I thought that 3rd photo was of a TEA Party rally, at first glance.

      Report Post » Sleazy Hippo  
    • AZfreeman
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:39pm

      (you-know-who) said, “if the corporations could get away with it they would “hire” slaves.”

      What an idiot.

      Just for the record…. the difference between a slave and an employee is that the slave can’t quit and look for a better job- free men can. If an employer has too much turnover he will adjust his policies or pay. It’s called Capitalism and free market principles. It’s what made our country the envy of the world.

      “Any man who claims you owe him a living is a cannibal. Whether foreign or domestic, he is a cannibal. If you choose to help him, that is one thing. If he demands you “help” as his “right”, he is a leech, a sycophant, a parasite. He is a cannibal seeking to survive by consuming you. Paul Harvey

      Report Post » AZfreeman  
    • Obama_Sham
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:42pm

      @Encinom

      “This is why we need unions, if the corporations could get away with it they would “hire” slaves.”

      LOL @ Encinom… The slave boy of the government is bashing corporations for wanting to hire slaves… Seriously, are you brain dead?!?

      Report Post » Obama_Sham  
    • Obama_Sham
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:43pm

      @Sleazy…

      Is that your parents in the third photo?

      Report Post » Obama_Sham  
    • milkvine
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:50pm

      These are more of the jobs Americans just won’t do.

      Report Post »  
    • Bluegill
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:08pm

      “Unfair Working conditions”? You mean they don’t get pensions and bonuses, no executive compensation, no board of directory positions. That’s not fair.

      Report Post » Bluegill  
    • mils
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:08pm

      WHAWHAWHA…what would you expect from anything to do with unions.
      ???
      no contact with Americans..what???? It was to be a sight seeing trip>>>>

      Report Post »  
    • Disnylv
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:15pm

      Oh my gosh, this is truely disgusting. I will no longer eat their chocolate

      Report Post »  
    • boncarbo7
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:35pm

      Go to the attached web site below, this is what Obama and the unions have in store for America.

      58C2084FFE224E3B8A7BF7975FC2014F@LENOVO1F2A2C54

      “Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance,
      and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”
      Winston Churchill

      Report Post »  
    • Morris
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:43pm

      Guess what guys?
      Brachs Candy and Hershey Candy companys are now Having some of their candy made in MEXICO!
      I purchased a (8-Pack) 8-Pack a Snack,Of Hersheys “REESES PEANUT BUTTER CUPS”,
      and guess what is witten on the Package?
      “MADE IN MEXICO FOR HB REESE CANDY COMPANY”

      I also Purchased a (8-Pack) 8-Pack a Snack, of Hersheys “YORK PEPPERMINT PATTIES”,
      and guess what,is written on the Package?
      “MADE IN MEXICO”.

      Two years ago I noticed looking at “BRACH” Candy Company Products That they also are having
      alot of their candy made in Mexico.

      THE GREED OF BIG BUSINESS????

      Guess what? I no longer BUY HERSHEYS CANDY OR BRACHS CANDY!

      If these (2) AMERICAN CANDY COMPANYS Don,t keep the American People working in our
      America,They can go to HELL , I will not buy their Products anymore!

      GOD BLESS AMERICA,IMPEACH DICTATOR BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA OUR MUSLIM -IN-CHIEF,SAVE OUR AMERICA!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Rebel Seal
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:58pm

      Tell the brats to leave our country and take the unions with them.

      Report Post » Rebel Seal  
    • AZfreeman
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:01pm

      Morris… Your anger is vented at the wrong people. It’s easy to jump on the liberal band wagon of bashing corporations, but is that the best thinking? Free market business will go where they can make the most profit…that’s a given. The problem is with the liberal/progressive/Dems in Congress who seem unwilling or unable to pass regulations and taxes that are friendly to business. Until we return to regulations, taxes, and a positive business climate in the market place, America will continue to lose American companies and their jobs to foreign countries. …rf

      Report Post » AZfreeman  
    • Spudd
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:13pm

      I ran freight into this plant as an Independent owner operator back in the 70′s, it was a nice plant back then and a neat clean community. Why would you let ungrateful trash like this into your plant when it was Americans that fueled the success of your company? Bust the unions, all of them, they are harming our nation!

      Report Post » Spudd  
    • SICKOFPCNESS
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:19pm

      Yea evil big business right…..they have to hire foreigners, look at the Americans they have to choose from….they work hard alright, hard at holding a friggin sign and screaming “it ain’t fair”. Ahhh shut up you bunch of spoiled brats. You will find out what fair is once the Muslims you love so much take over.

      Report Post »  
    • dsswickard
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:44pm

      They can exploit them with less backlash than they’d get from Americans.

      Report Post » dsswickard  
    • Bluefish49
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:13pm

      Life is like a box of chocolates…..ya never know what your gonna git….

      Report Post »  
    • Lonescrapper
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:55pm

      I bet they also take interns, that work for NOTHING. How evil is that? I mean… hospitals do it all the time! Give kids college credits for working for FREE? EVIL EVIL EVIL! lets make sure premeds NEVER get the experience they need! hey hey ho ho, internship has got to go!

      Report Post » Lonescrapper  
    • DEConservative
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:11pm

      Fire the stupid union workers and hire people with common sense…time to move beyond the unions…our nation needs to get over the unions.

      Report Post »  
    • number1write
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:17pm

      To these foreign arshulls: Get the hell out of our country you ungrateful, useless crybabies. Don’t ever come back to the USA. It was a mistake for my people to let you in. Go home and get your dream job and education there. As for the Union communists who rally these idiots, I wouldn’t miss you if you went home with these little dweebs. “my wrist hurts” cries one of these students? I’m ashamed that we as a nation have gotten to a place that we invite these slugs in our home and let them whine about how horrible The United States is.

      Report Post » number1write  
    • imreddog
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 6:41pm

      I lived an worked in the N.E. for a while. The union thugs are pretty well running things. My guess is that Hershey cannot find enough employees that are willing to work without being union members. If that is the case then Hershey’s choices are.
      1) Import workers and use and use an independent company to bring them in… similar to “Administaf”.
      2) Move to another state or country where they aren’t continually harrassed by union thugs.
      We have already seen that the current Obama regime will try to sidetrack a company from moving to another state or to even set up an additional factory in another state that is a “right to work” state. I think that was Boeng. I would guess that Hershey will eventually move to another country to provide their product to us for a price that we are willing to pay.
      Union bosses are criminals. Are there exceptions? Maybe, but I haven’t found them. They are no different than the thugs that run the “protection rackets”. “A fair days work for a fair days pay” is B.S., pure and simple. Years ago I quit using the union because they thought that they didn’t have to work “because the were union”. I made it a point to remember their names. Now when these people call for a job, I remind them about how much money the cost me out of my pocket and how I went to the personally and tried to get them to understand how much they were costing me and they said that they didn’t give a sh-t… “we‘re union and you can’t tell us how

      Report Post »  
    • chrisst41
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 7:32pm

      Read about this on Yahoo news a while ago. The kids were exchange students and they got paid what any other employee got paid. All the kids did was complain about the work, that they had to pay for their living expenses out of their paychecks and other petty things. These children didn’t understand that in this country you are expected to work hard, and pay your own way.

      Report Post » chrisst41  
    • drbage
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:29pm

      A slightly different perspective on this situation. I worked for 15 years with the J-1 summer student program in 3 different states. In each state we dealt with a U.S. based recruiter and since the program involved bringing foreigners into the country to work we had to deal with INS and IRS (read reams and reams and reams of paperwork and formes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). We would contact the recruiter and submit to them how many students we wanted and full job descriptions. If approved, a contract would be signed detailing payrates, hours of work, housing, and length of contract. The U.S. agency would also detail their responsibilities regarding flights, orientation, visas, etc. About 4-5 weeks before the students arrived we would receive arrival info, names, bios, and the position they would fill. So, prior to leaving their country, each student knew where they were going, what their job would be, how many hours, pay rate, and start/stop dates. Upon arrival in New York, they would undergo a one week orientation in which all the details would be reviewed–all 3 companies which I worked with conducted the orientation in the native language of the students. We would then be notified when the students left New York and were scheduled to arrive at the job site.
      So, there is something missing from the narrative at Hershey and since the unions got involved so quickly, I think the odor you smell is NOT the aroma of chocolate.

      Report Post »  
    • CWinBaltimore
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 9:00pm

      Hell, they already opened a plant in Mexico, I guess they’ll just move the rest of their operation there.

      Report Post »  
    • teamarcheson
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:18pm

      They do not look like a thousand protesters. Good for them, don’t come here anymore. You are taking jobs away from American college students. Make sure you tell all of your friends back home that America cheats just like it cheats its own people. How is said in foreign languages, “Go to Hell.”

      Report Post »  
    • ashestoashes
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 10:47pm

      Hershey…You already messed up by hiring forigners. Please don’t further assault yourselves and your customers by going Union. Union drives up the cost of everything. maybe we should all start boycotting union run companies and just support non unionized companies.

      Report Post »  
    • AzCowboy
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:48pm

      if they paid union wages and benefits that candy bar would be $5.00. Unions suck

      Report Post »  
    • GeorgieJo
      Posted on September 24, 2011 at 2:00am

      SO I went OUT and MARCHED straight to the LOCALLY owned grocery and BOUGHT a huge amount of HERSEY CHOCOLATE

      These “union thugs” are blithering IDIOTS.

      NO BO in 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • EBK2011
      Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:01am

      Don’t they realize that there are so many AMERICANS out of work right now that would JUMP at the opportunity to have their job? “My back hurts, my eyes hurt, my wrists hurt”…suck it up! What the hell are these people complaining about? It’s called work!!!

      Report Post »  
    • UPSETVET
      Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:10am

      Foreign “students” protesting their working conditions in America. Well, send them back to where they came from. I’m sure there are ample unimployed Americans that would gladly take their places and endure the hardships for a regular paycheck.

      I see on the horizen Hershey Chocolate Bars with a stamp “Made in China.” These are the kind of jobs Obama and his goons are creating, foreign students who demand union representation. What a wonderful world we live in. We have Disney World and Obama World, both right out of Fantasy Land.

      Report Post »  
    • pavepaws
      Posted on September 24, 2011 at 7:52pm

      Send them back home. Cancel the program. I heard about this when it first started.Adios

      Report Post »  
    • pavepaws
      Posted on September 24, 2011 at 8:28pm

      Here’s the local union website.Check the calender page that shows where they are going to have meetings. Stop in and tell them what you really think of their union. http://chocolateworkerslocal464.com/

      Report Post »  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:40am

      MaruaderMel
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:32am
      Union Thugery – nothing else and nothing more. Imagine a 8 dollar Chocolate bar…
      ===========================================================
      You nailed it!

      The way this thing reads at first blush it sounds to me like a set-up. All you need to ask yourself is… do you trust Unions? See what I mean?

      America is in dire need of a Hero. Mine is Allen West!

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • TXPilot
      Posted on September 25, 2011 at 3:06am

      Ok…they have now gone too far…these radicals are attempting to interfere with my supply of tasty, precious chocolate…..which is one of the few truly good things left in life these days…….time to kick some Commie @ss……

      Report Post » TXPilot  
  • NuffSaid
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:24am

    Glen: I can’t believe that I have been so dim!

    I just heard you on the radio talking about churches pastors preaching about current politics.

    For years I have been waiting for you to tell me where to go to join a group of people that share my beliefs. This President has made me absolutely crazy ever since I read Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals- His organization, mostly criminals and perverts, where nonetheless-organized, joined in spirit, united in purpose. Made me gag..

    I heard you, Glen. I heard you loud and clear-

    Our organization of last hope is the church! Any Church with a heart!

    Thank you Glen. I feel like I’ve been re-born.

    Report Post »  
    • Kansas Mom
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 5:48pm

      We should send them back where they came from. Send a few Union thugs while we’re at it.

      Maybe Hershey should move to Kansas….we’re a Right to Work state. The only problem with that idea is that the NLRB won’t let them. There is, however, nothing to stop them from moving overseas.

      Report Post » Kansas Mom  
  • love the kids
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:24am

    Didn‘t take them long that you don’t have to work in the US. Why would they want to temporarily work in the US in the first place? Better yet, why didn’t the AFL-CIO fight in the first place to keep those “SCAB” workers out. This story could have just started out that the AFL-CIO was protesting Hershey because they were bringing Non-Union workers in from other countries and filling union jobs, but somehow, that step was missed. Anyone from the union want to explain this to me????

    Report Post »  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:29am

      They will speak when Willie Wonka tells them to.

      Report Post » biohazard23  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:35am

      - After joining up with the Chocolate Workers Union, a division of the AFL-CIO, about 200 students and union members walked off their jobs and protested outside the plant -

      Question: If these students are here on a temporary work/cultural exchange visa program that THEY paid for, how are they eligible to join union?? They are not American citizens, they don’t have a long-term work visa…
      Or does the phrase “joining up with” only mean they walked along side of the Chocolate Workers Union?
      I’m confused….anyone know how this works

      Report Post »  
    • christofer.sears
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:43am

      Folks, lets be grown-ups here. These young adults are trying to just get the smallest piece of the American dream, just like all of our ancestors. The TRUTH is that many of them are literally seduced for these jobs, pay a ton of money, and work crap jobs. The union should stay out of it and the companies, Hershey’s is the only one of many, should actually employ the kids in the types of positions they were told would be available. Go to Key West, Ocean City, and dozens of other locations, it works there.
      You ignorant jerks saying hateful things are the very reason why conservatives get a bad wrap. Of course some of you are from the left and try to make us look bad, we see it, is a ruse and a horribly bad one at that.
      The TRUTH is that these amazing young men and women are coming here to have just a taste of the blessings out country has to offer. Companies that exploit them should be ashamed.
      Be reasonable and honest with the students and you will have nothing to cover up. Tell them they’ll be working in a factory doing factory work, but you’ll be paid X amount per week/hour/day/month then let them decided if they want to come here. Don’t hire third party “visa chasing” companies to do your dirty work. BE HONEST and you’ll find plenty of honest folks to work, oh and if you do it right you might get rid of the unions too.
      To the students, I’m sorry on behalf of America for these companies exploiting you and misleading you. That’s not how it is supposed to be.

      Report Post »  
    • love the kids
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:59am

      My family went to Hershey park on a camping vacation last year. The story of how Mr. Hershey moving to the united states and building the chocolate empire was an impressive story. He was a legal immigrant who built a empire off of the free, capitalist system. They went on to say how most of the production has now moved overseas because this is the ONLY way that this factory can survive. I did not know at the time that the workers were union. But now I see that they are bringing kids over here to work. I assume that is because they can’t afford to hire normal union workers back. But my point here is, why didn’t the union fight the non-union, foreign labor coming here in the first place? I am not being mean or disrespectful here at all. But somehow here, Americans are out of jobs, and immigrants come here, without union resistance, then they fight to make them union workers. Were any union people laid off due to moving operations overseas?
      I’m sure Mr. Hershey would be very upset to know that jobs left the country that gave him the opportunity that he had.

      Report Post »  
    • Misty Williams
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:59am

      @christofer.sears
      Apologize on behalf of yourself if you must, Mr. Sears, but don’t include the whole of America. They paid their way to come here–to work for this company for an American experience. When your ancestors and my ancestors came here, they paid their own way. My ancestors PAID THEIR OWN WAY. And when my ancestors got here and things weren’t as nice as they were promised or they thought it would be, they rolled up their sleeves and they got to work, and then they made it as nice as they wanted it to be. They WORKED and the WORKED HARD. Some of my ancestors came here as property, indentured servants, and they didn‘t whine and they didn’t gripe, and they didn’t piss and moan; they didn’t picket against the people they came here to work for. If they had, they would have spent some time in the stocks. They worked. They did their service for their masters and then when they were free to do so, they WORKED for themselves to make their own livelihood.

      You can keep your apology to yourself. You do NOT speak for America.

      Report Post » Misty Williams  
    • term limits for congress
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:42pm

      This is a very common practice. Businesses that have seasonal Ups & Downs particpate with these “foreign exchange” programs. Resorts and Casinos are regular consumers of these young workers.

      It happens in reverse, too. Americans chose to work in lower-end jobs in order to see and experience different parts of the globe. I have seen it in the U.A.E, South Africa, and all over Europe.

      Citizens of the British Commonwealth are able to easily move amongst the commonwealth countries to do the same thing. I’ve met people from New Zealand and Australia all over the world who are seeing/working around the world while they can (still young).

      If Hershey is forced to only hire union workers, they will not be able to easily adjust the workforce based on demand. This is a union prank. On the bright side, the young foreign workers get to participate in a strike… that’s exciting, I suppose… part of the American experience… hmm,… I think that’s a good thing… maybe not. Otherwise, they just picked the wrong gig.

      Report Post »  
    • PApeacemaker
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:09pm

      BAHAHAHA maybe Willie Wonka will hire them for better pay. But then it will make the Umpa Lumpa mad & where will they work? hahaha

      Report Post » PApeacemaker  
    • staythecourse
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:25pm

      What is interesting is that actually there is a whole industry of offering college kids the opportunity to go to a foreign country to work in that country for the summer. Types of jobs offered to Americans ran the gamut from berry picking (hard labor!), to being a nanny to some family, to working in archeology digs. All of it was for very low wages. I have a hard time believing that these kids didnt realize that they would have to actually work. Sorry kids, but work is hard, work can be boring…aint life a bxxxxxch some times. These kids came to this country through a government sponsored program. Something veryfishy here!

      Report Post »  
    • INOGAWD
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:30pm

      @ Misty Williams

      Very well said.. Seems everyone is expecting a hand-out these day’s..
      I joined the work force after serving 6 years in the Marine Corps…
      The pay scale was $1.25 an hour.. worked my butt off, Raised four great
      Kids..Took a bunch of classes at the local CC and when I retired, I was
      making a good salary.. Learned one thing..Hard Work Pays over the long
      run.I have absolutely NO sympathy for WHINERS and or unions.(leeches).

      Report Post » INOGAWD  
  • TxMadMac
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:23am

    Hersey, this is your business. you made a deal with these students. They backed out. Fire them and tell the union to take a hike !

    Report Post »  
    • TAXEVERYONE
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:38am

      They might also want to work on their public relations after this.

      Report Post » TAXEVERYONE  
    • NHwinter
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:42pm

      Send these students home and hire American students. Tell the union to get lost. I’m sick of their thug tactics and constantly pushing unions. Unions have lost their purpose. They are responsible for all the jobs going overseas. Companies have a right to hire who they want and to pay what they want. If you don’t like the pay, don’t take the job. Someone else will take it.

      Report Post » NHwinter  
  • Fight for America
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:23am

    If unions WANT to make everyone else hate them – they are doing a great job.

    We aren’t in sweatshop world anymore.

    We aren’t a communist nation.

    Union workers aren’t more “special” than the rest of us.

    Union employees often tell me they are disgusted with their unions.

    Report Post »  
    • boncarbo7
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:08pm

      While I believe that unions once had a place here, but the unions have out lived their usefulness, and it is time they all be disbanded and done away with. As for those foreign students, they should go home to their own countries and get on with their lives. They have no right to strike any American company.

      Report Post »  
    • dmforman
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 8:26pm

      I would love to know their wages, how much they paid for housing, and how much they paid for state and federal taxes. It sounded to me that their pay checks were on par with what would expect. Someone doing that kind of job would probably make somewhere between minimum wage and ten dollars an hour I am thinking. Wouldn’t expect to be paid more than that.

      I would love someone to show that these kids weren’t being ripped off. Hershey may not have been charging the rent, the company that enticed them to come here may have and Hershey was following their rule. I wish that we knew more, as I hope that it makes Hershey look really good.

      Report Post »  
  • georgiavietvet
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:23am

    deport all of them. all they were looking for was a free ride to see america, and then found out they had to work for it. hersey should stand up and fire them and tell the union to go to hell………………………

    Report Post »  
    • Misty Williams
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:49am

      AMEN! Their signs… Captive workers… HOW STUPID! No one is FORCING them to come to America and work on a Visa. So they paid their way here to work for a summer, and they found the work demanding and they found that they didn’t have a lot of time and money to tour America because of the work they came here to do? Poor little didums! Don’t like it? Quit whining and when your Visa is up, go home. We have enough useful idiots here, don’t need foreign useful idiots or foreign agitators.

      Use your oh so college educated brain. Don‘t come here looking for party time at the expense of a company you’re supposed to be working for; don’t come here looking for a free ride! Makes me ill.

      These kids came here legally. That is great, they followed the rules, That’s AWESOME! But I’ll tell you what; any one of these who came here, albeit legally, who participates in this nonsense should not, in my opinion, have their Visa renewed. Buh-bye!

      Come to America. Come legally. Come with a solid, decent work ethic. Come to improve yourself. But most of all, come with respect for America. *Pursuit* of Happiness, not *Guarantee* of Happiness.

      Report Post » Misty Williams  
    • INOGAWD
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 2:05pm

      Like to see the Bullshi** the unions feed these student’s, to get
      them to come here on a work visa, gonna check it out, should be
      very interesting.. Americans know how diffacult work is at a starting
      position..You either work or yo’ur down the road. some will never
      work and leeach off Obama’s freebies, witch we all pay for..
      These students were probably told about “The Sunshine and
      Lollypop’s”and how everything is easy here…We are supporting
      15 Million illegals now..We don’t need any more..Tks.to Obama..

      Report Post » INOGAWD  
  • BufordTJustice
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:23am

    They come here to work and then get mad when they have to ! Only a union would demand they not have to do the demeaning work! Unions suck

    Report Post »  
    • pbrenda51
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:00pm

      I have to say, the Progressives are doing their best to turn this world upside down……telling us “up is down and down is up” and that is what they are doing in everything they do…….Rules for Radicals and what Hitler did during his rise……basically telling citizens that what they believe, really isn’t so…..we must keep holding their “feet to the fire” and stand for what is right so SOMEBODY is holding society to a higher standard or the youth won’t know the difference

      Report Post »  
    • boncarbo7
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:24pm

      Just take a good look at union employees at work: video of union workers at 2 Chrysler plants on their lunch breaks smoking dope and drinking beer, right across the street from a union hall, how stupid is that. The union signed up these kids, but probably didn’t give them all the facts, that’s the way unions work. These kids need to go back home, and the jobs they vacate can go to AMERICANS can have their jobs.

      Report Post »  
  • oldchevyguy
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:22am

    Go Home!

    Report Post »  
    • Miguelito
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:33am

      How much did these mushbrains get paid for acting this way?

      Report Post »  
    • MIBUGNU2
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:01pm

      The unions teaching foreigners how to protest…Cool !!

      The union and The American way…..

      Report Post » MIBUGNU2  
  • RodT82721
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:22am

    This is precious.
    Some ‘students’ signed up to work and live the USA.
    They arrived and are now working and living in the USA! So it’s time to protest!
    I would have to guess they are not being paid union wages and are actually having to do productive work for their pay. Now how horrible is that?
    Did they expect to get paid to roam the East Coast malls and shop? Did they expect to be working as managers? Or a better question, as students did they even bother to ask just what they would be signing up to do?
    At least now they are being signed up with a union, that will solve all their problems.

    Report Post »  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:31am

      Rod……… anyone who uses the S Alinsky method of deamonizing/lying will use a few stupid foreigners to promote their cause of US turmoil. They are probably French, and not used to actually showing up for work, or, maybe they had to work more than 2 daze.

      I had to pay into a union for 36-1/2 of my 38-1/2 years with the phone co. What a bunch of lazy, unappreciative, undisciplined a-holes that place has become. Have you tried calling Vz for service lately?

      Report Post »  
  • bhscpa
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:21am

    Fk unions

    Report Post »  
  • crazeeMAN
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:21am

    This has nothing to do with the foreign workers, it’s just another excuse for the afl-cio to try and jam the union down another companies throat. Trumpka and his thugs are self serving people with little to no regards to the folks they are representing.

    Report Post »  
  • robinakilt
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:20am

    Hey here is a great idea, if the people from foreign countries that come here to work at the Hershey plant don’t like it….THEN GO BACK TO YOUR OWN DAMN COUNTRY!!!!!!!!! No one put a gun to your head and made you come here to do the job, next time why don’t you go to China and work for them in their fabulous working conditions. I hear it is beautiful this time of year. Question, if you walk off your job that means you quit right? So why do they want paid….oh entitlements i forgot!

    Report Post » robinakilt  
  • bhscpa
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:20am

    Another Obama special interest that has felt safe to advocate violence and mayhem to get their way. I hope ordinary Americans are paying attention. We need to declaw the viscious, communist, anti-American unions in this country. Defund and abolish Solis’s NLRB which she uses to favor unions and her latinos.

    Report Post »  
  • usalover
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:19am

    local Chocolate Workers Union, Seriously !!! I want to start a union for my pinky toe, this is just getting Crazy,

    Report Post » usalover  
  • krispy01
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:19am

    Sweeeeeet !

    Report Post » krispy01  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:18am

    Am running to the store as we speak to purchase MORE HERSHEY’s products!!!!!!

    Whiners, LEAVE AMERICA NOW!!!! We don’t have room or time for you here. hell does, however.

    Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:26am

      Do you think they knew what their pay was going to be when they got here? Did they not read the contract? Maybe they got here, and then the union told them how much they could make if they worked in a union (what is it now, triple?).

      Report Post »  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:38am

      @ loriann12

      I thinking those same things myself.

      Report Post »  
  • Tim
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:18am

    Don’t like the conditions? Go home.

    Report Post »  
  • misteryuck
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:18am

    Good ol’ yooooon-yunz…. Got to love ‘em.

    Report Post » misteryuck  
    • decendentof56
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:25am

      More brain-dead sheep being used by unions. This will get ugly, as we might pit neighbor vs neighbor. I wonder if all the malcontents realize what they are getting into?

      Report Post »  
  • cntrlfrk
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:16am


    This is getting to be a hobby for college students.

    The “Flash Mob and Astro-Turf Protest Generation”

    Classy.

    I wonder what the last of “The Greatest Generation” thinks of them.

    .

    Report Post » cntrlfrk  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:16am

    One more time~~~mouths open, minds closed! DUH!!!

    Strange that those who WORK for a living are being picketed by slugs. Oops, apologies to slugs, I think you have more brains than the picketers.

    I would wager that half if not more of the children involved in the process are “working for” (employed by) the unions as “stand-in”. MOST HUMAN BEINGS are at work this time of day, even REAL students!

    Report Post »  
  • UBETHECHANGE
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:14am

    Useful idiots.

    Report Post »  
    • TRUTHandFREEDOM
      Posted on September 24, 2011 at 9:45am

      Exactly! Lenin would be proud of the way a parasitic labor union used these people as what he called useful idiots. The stench of communism propaganda is strong in union activity. There’s a bit more to the story that was originally in online PA news sources. Initially, there was one foreign worker small protest on its face & mostly, blindly reported that way, although it was organized very “union like” with professional signs & stated support from union members (that just happened to be there when the cameras showed up). Many PA residents smelled that rat quickly, though union activists were busy posting comments on online PA news websites trying to spin it against the company & they’re here too. Another point is that these people don’t work for Hershey, but for Excel, a company that Hershey uses for distribution. That company clearly isn’t a big enough corporate target, so the intital protest at that business was moved to Hershey. There have been a few protests now. My understanding is that rent was deducted from pay, leaving spending money. Free rent? No! Earlier PA news reports had more info & follow up reports don’t fill in the blanks for people who come to the story late. This is the usual smoke & mirrors used by parasitic labor unions who put too much burden on a business and find themselves losing employment opportunities as affordable local outsourcing increases & investors once again see a growing company. Foreign workers seem to be very minimal & maybe now ze

      Report Post »  
  • don young
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:14am

    These unions are doing nothing good they need to be stoped we need to get rid of these greedy people before they completely destroy the united states.

    Report Post »  
  • trolltrainer
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:14am

    lol, love the first pic. Those are some irritated looking women…Heh…

    Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:17am

      Hersey is welcome to move thier plant here to Virginia and hire all the non-union workers they need.

      Report Post »  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:18am

      Yeah, and in the third one down, Big Momma in the center front of the pic should REALLY lay off the freebies at the factory. Chocolate Workers Union? Really? Who’s their Dear Leader, Willie Wonka??

      Report Post » biohazard23  
    • trolltrainer
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:45am

      The no kisses signs are the bomb too!

      Report Post »  
    • cgizzy
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 12:12pm

      Willy Wanka didnt unionize… instead he imported workers (umpa-loompas) to live in his factory and work. I‘m sure it’s much more cost effective than outsourcing or hiring unions.

      Report Post »  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 1:07pm

      @CGizzy, touche! Point well taken. :)

      Report Post » biohazard23  
  • cessna152
    Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:13am

    Then get another job in your home country!!! Go home…my goodness. BTW, the beauty of the “free market system” is you can go somewhere else and GET A JOB! What a bunch of useless idiots that have NO CLUE…they support a system that has killed hundreds of millions of innocent people. Freaking dopes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post » cessna152  
    • cntrlfrk
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 11:21am


      Your dogs are messed up, man.

      Report Post » cntrlfrk  
    • UlyssesP
      Posted on September 23, 2011 at 3:54pm

      Thank you, to both of you, cessna for the picture, freak for pointing it out.

      Report Post » UlyssesP  

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