On August 17, hundreds of student guestworkers from around the world were joined by unemployed American workers and labor leaders in a factory sit-in at the Hershey Chocolate Company packing plant in Pennsylvania.
The students paid $3,000-6,000 each to come to America this summer for what they thought would be a cultural exchange program. Instead, they found themselves packing chocolates at the Hershey’s plant in deeply exploitative conditions.
Their demands: end the exploitation of student workers at the Hershey’s plant, and make these jobs living wage jobs for local workers.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-h8EBP0JSs]
Stand with these brave student workers and the local workers they’re fighting for.
- Contact Hershey’s CEO John Bilbrey: tel. 717.534.4200, fax 717.534.6550, email jbilbrey@hersheys.com. Tell him you want dignity for student workers and living wage jobs for local workers.
- Post on Hershey’s Facebook page and tell them the same.
- Send the workers a solidarity message at Justice-at-Hersheys@guestworkeralliance.org.
- Contribute to the workers’ solidarity fund.
Comments
Posted On
Aug 17, 2011Posted By
jI’m not one to jump on the band wagon, but I did this time.
When I was in high school, my sister fostered a German foreign exchange student. Patrick was like a brother to me that year and still to this day we keep in touch. It saddens me to think that an American corporation could deceive these students. I am proud to say that I did email the CEO of Hershey.
“To whom it may concern, I have recently watched a video regarding the student workers at the Hershey plant. I am outraged. America was founded on an honest, hard working foundation and I believe this to be very dishonest. I’m sure that there are two sides to every story, but this is uncalled for. Please respond quickly to their requests without deporting them. They are trying to live the American dream.
Thank you,
P.S. One a side note, I have a bag of Hershey kisses on my desk at this very moment. I would hate to associate some of my favorite candy with such despicable behaviors, brought on by a greedy corporation.”
Posted On
Aug 23, 2011Posted By
Brainstorm - The Chronicle of Higher Education[...] and also to the U.S. labor associations to whom they appealed, Jobs With Justice and the National Guestworkers Alliance. Clearly positive consumer associations with the Hershey brand helped students and their allies to [...]
Posted On
Sep 01, 2011Posted By
EricNote that the Hershey Facebook page no longer allows posting.