Here recently, I've heard rumors about Hershey closing its U.S. and Canadian operations and moving them to Mexico. However so far, I can't find any proof of this supposed move by Hershey.
One of my co-workers and I were having a discussion about this issue a couple of days ago, and he asked me if I had read his ' Hershey ' e-mail.
He said " Hey Tim, did you hear that Hershey is closing its U.S. plants and moving them to Japan? "
I replied " You've gotta be kiddin' me. Moving to Japan? That doesn't make any sense at all. If they were to close U.S. operations in order to exploit cheap labor, they would more than likely move to China or Mexico "
He replied " Nope, their moving to Japan. Just read my e-mail. The e-mail is from a Hershey employee who is loosing his job"
I then said " OK, I'll read it and get back to you tomorrow "
Below is the e-mail.
Subject: Hershey
>>
>>THIS IS VERY UPSETTING. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO HERSHEY TOWN? I LIVE
>>HERE AND I LOVED IT AND THE PARK. WHAT'S GOING THERE? THIS MAKES ME
>>SICK.
>>A sad story for those of us who remember growing up with Hershey bars,
>>and just as sad for the generations of today. What will be outsourced
>>next?
>>Pennsylvania is a big state, but it amazes me in this day, how some news
>>doesn't make it over the mountain to the front page of our papers or the
>>top of news hours nationally.
>>Milton Hershey, this year, will be joining H. J Heinz in rolling over in
>>his grave. Hershey Chocolate is moving to Mexico...whoopee! They're
>>even closing down Hershey Canada. Don't buy any more Hershey Bars.
>>Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite and
>>they are made by Hershey. But, I will not purchase another one!
>>M.S. Hershey had a dream... I will buy my OWN Sugar, Milk, Cocoa beans,
>>(all natural mind you!) and make candy... (no tariffs etc..) EVEN during
>>the depression...HE and the Company made money...NOW some Corporate big
>>wigs are ruining the name... AND the product M.S. created... Please pass
>>it on...What a bunch of college educated 'idiots'.
>>Thank you M.S. for all the things I have and all you have done for me
>>and my family...I do appreciate it... as for 'Dick' Lenny and
>>Company...good luck you greedy, money loving mongrels...you are ruining
>>the name, the company, and MANY lives in central Pennsylvania.... read
>>on...
>>Enough is Enough!
>>So Hershey executives are closing plants in the US , laying off over a
>>thousand people, and destroying Mr. Hers hey's dream, all to cut labor
>>and material costs.
>>The company will save about $170 million a year, all on the backs of the
>>American people. The top executives will still make their mega bucks
>>and the laid off workers will have to find other jobs, some probably at
>>minimum wage due to their age. All this to take their jobs to India,
>>China and Mexico, So WHAT part of the 'GREAT' American Chocolate Bar is
>>left?...NOTHING! These countries are no doubt laughing at the Americans,
>>who they don't like anyway. How long are the American people going to
>>sit around and let big corporations do this to us? We must all band
>>together and let them know we won't take it any longer!
>>Please, do not buy any Hershey product! I pulled EVERY dime of my stock,
>>retirement and my HEART out of Hershey... (it does hurt me to say that).
>>If the company wants t o take
>>the work to these countries, then let those countries buy the product.
>>We don't need it!
>>BLACKBALL HERSHEY!!
>>Please pass this to everyone on your email list so it gets all across
>>the United States.--Retired Hershey worker for 35 good years. living in
>>the city he was responsible for making Hershey a great place to live and
>>work and educate my children. I am not expecting this email to have a
>>big effect on Hershey, but maybe if enough people pass it along, Hershey
>>directors may hear of the boycott.THANKS
So I got back with my co-worker the next day after reading this e-mail.
I said " Hey man, I read the e-mail and it claims that Hershey is moving to Mexico, China or India. Infact, the article doesn't even state which country Hersey is actually moving to"
He fired back " Oh, Oh I'm sorry. I meant Mexico "
Then I replied " OK, first of all it wouldn't really surprise me one bit if Hershey actually did this considering the recent trend of factory closings. However this e-mail isn't even an actuall article stating facts and sources. It looks more like a rant than anything else"
He then replied " Aw naw Tim. The guy who wrote that is an employee of Hershey and he's loosing his job "
I fired back " Dude, this e-mail doesn't include the e-mail address of the person who wrote it, nor is it signed by anyone"
He replied " Now Tim, that guy is actually loosing his job because of this. Do you think that he would make this up if he wasn't loosing his job? "
I replied " Come on man, there isn't even an e-mail address for the author. Also, I've Googled the subject upside down, rightside up and left to right. I've used every combination of words possible and nothing comes up about Hershey closing and moving to Mexico"
He replied " Uh, oh well I guess that Hershey is hiding this from us 'cause they don't want us to know the truth "
At that point, I just gave up and said " Ok, guess you're right "
Again, considering the recent trend of U.S. factory closings, it wouldn't surprise me none in the least if Hershey was actually planning this move. However just as I stated in the above conversation with one of my co-workers, I've yet to find any proof.
If any of you have any proof of Hershey moving to Mexico, China or India, please do share. Perhaps I'm missing something.
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http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/hersheys.asp
Again, It wouldn't surprise me if Hershey was planning this. But then again, if they were, woudn't the media be all over it?
c2007 ANG Newspapers Now I wonder how you conducted your "search"! lol.....I found a ton of info, starting with snopes.......Interesting article, anyway! The last article I read stated, "boycott if you want to protest" but search with the terms "Hershey layoffs" so you can find the real news stories out there. One closing is in California!
Again, if this was really happening, the media would be all over it. Don't you think that Lou Dobbs would be all over this with all four feet if this was actually real?
Quote something from a site other than blogs or Snopes an maybe I'll bite into this.
Like I said above, if this was really happening, these people would be on this like flies on poop and actually, I wouldn't have to be performing ' Google' searches.
BTW- you were mentioned in this article:
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977090087
If you should find this story to be true; please do not hesitate to contact me via email and I too shall boycott and do everything possible to make my thoughts and feelings be known on this issue.
Thanks for bringing this to light...
Not related to Hershey's
Still, just a point of interest. My new "Billy Ray Cyrus" guitar has "Made in China" stickers all over the back.
=(
I try I really REALLY do try.
Then comes the recalls because they tainted the chocolate with some foreign substance. I can see the headlines now. When is this going to stop?
I have some friends at Nestles that are sort of in the know. I will check this out and get back to you.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/23/business/NA-FIN-COM-US-Hershey-Plant-Closing.php
Lynn...Get back with me if you find something.
Thanks everybody else for your comments. I'm still digging into this issue.
I learned early on in my computer life to check Snopes for everything. It used to drive me crazy that so many people would pass fantasy on without checking. Grrrrrrr
http://www.abc27.com/news/stories/0507/419253.html
Hershey closing last Canadian factory, laying off 580 workers
Published: May 09, 2007 6:45 PM EST
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) - Hershey Co. is closing its last Canadian factory, laying off 580 workers and moving part of the production to the United States and Mexico.
Kirk Saville, a spokesman for Hershey, said Wednesday that the factory in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, would close by December and that the company is negotiating severance packages for the workers.
The Hershey, Pa.-based company closed the chocolate factory because it is operating at one-third of its capacity, Saville said. He said the company has to come up with ways to reduce costs to "ensure the long-term competitiveness of the company."
Hershey announced a restructuring plan in February that would eliminate 1,500 jobs and one-third of its existing production lines over the next three years. It is shifting some work to contractors and a plant being built in Monterrey, Mexico, and it has formed joint ventures to begin making its products in China and India.
Hershey has already announced that it will close plants in Oakdale, Calif., Reading, Pa., Naugatuck, Conn., and Smiths Falls, Ontario, while cutting as many as 900 of the 3,000 workers at its three hometown plants in Hershey, Pa.
©2007 The Associated Press
I cannot believe this.
The other half of the story is that Hershey's is changing a lot of their focus (expecially in the town of Hershey) from "making chocolate" to "providing entertainment". For every factory job that ends in PA, there are several customer service jobs that open up. Hershey's still treats their current employees extremely well and they're not just shutting down the town.
The better Asian guitars are made in Korea. This could change.
"Buy American" is, unfortunately, a slogan. We manufacture very little here and it's getting to be less and less every year.
I checked Chocolate Frango Mints synonymous with Chicago and they moved to Pennsylvania but might be going back to Chicago. So, I don't know, I don't know.
I know with the recent problems other companies have had with food, toothpaste, toys, tires, etc. from China and all the recalls how can we trust anything enough from there to buy it? And why would we?
This is about the almighty dollar and you will never convince me it has a thing to do with being closer to the cocoa because they are moving further away from the dairy.
Sorry to disagree with you, we've just been in this boat one too many times and I am sick to death of the excuses these companies give for moving out of this country and expect us all to support their decision while 1000's of us lose our jobs, homes, savings and everything to another country.
I cannot take the stand that business is business when it comes to 1000's of people here losing their jobs.
I remember when Pabst moved out of Peoria overnight. It devastated Peoria. Hiram Walker was soon to follow. That was 2 major companies in a short period of time. And they didn't leave the country, they just left the state. You couldn't buy Pabst or Hiram Walker any where in the area. No one would sell either and if you were caught drinking either you were chastised. We need this kind of fury across the board now. We're losing everything right in front of our faces and no one gives a shit. When are we going to wake up and realize something has to be done.
Oops, probably just got this one flagged. But I am pissed. Can you tell? ;)
Mayfild, Ky is also another example after General Tire closed down. We've lost a couple of factories here in Murray also, one being Fisher Price. You can bet that the Fisher Price and Mattel toys are just sitting on the shelves.
Why are there only two gas stations in the state that you can buy ethanol at? These questions plus thousands more are in the minds of people that don't believe the crap the elected officials are giving us.
You are so right in your last comment Bob about not believing the crap the elected officals are giving us. Well, I didn't elect them but someone did. I didn't believe them then and I certainly haven't changed my mind in the past 8 years.
So Tim you know right where I'm coming from.
There was an article here on Gather a while back titled " Why The Shrinking Middle Class Is A Good Thing " Un freaking believable. So shrinking the middle class that has driven our economy for years and years is a good thing? Only for a Government that is looking to impose totalitarian control over its people.
Which leads me to this..just how many of these Gather members who are advocating for all of this are being paid to spread their propaganda here? How many are being paid by the Government? How many are being paid by big buisness?
Check this site out.... www.spp.gov
I can't believe someone would even think like that. Who in the heck would benefit from a shrinking middle class? I can bet they watch FOX if they aren't being paid. lol That was a little tiny jab.
Did you ever get anywhere with your article about that subject before? I would be willing to bet there's more than we think that are.
I will check out that site.
Wonder how you find out about those jobs? :)
I'm also working on another one of them on my last thread.
" Who the heck would benifit from a shrinking middle class? "
Like I said, a Government that wants the people to depend on it, and inturn wants to control its people.
You really need to check out www.spp.gov .....we've aleady been sold out.
What a shame this is happening
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/hersheys.asp
Supposedly they are opening new plants in Mexico and China to expand on more markets, using cheap labor. I am not in support of this, if they wanted to build new plants, why remove these jobs in the first place, and not just open the plants and add to their work force in these countries. I is not like they could not afford it.
Which thread Tim?
WHAT HAVE WE DONE????? I visited and bookmarked www.spp.gov That sucks. I bookmarked it so my husband can get as furious as I am. He was wondering what I was ranting about last night. Now he'll know.
Here's another one:
http://www.stopthenorthamericanunion.com/TreasonAbounds.html
Tim you'd better get another article going. This one is going in a different direction and I'm getting more p.o.'d by the minute.
I worked for a company in the late 80's thru the 90's that was a firm supporter of NAFTA. The way it was explained made it sound like the best thing since sliced bread. I argued with my husband (who is a devout union supporter altho' he isn't in a union any longer) who kept saying this is going to kill American businesses, unions, and will destroy the American workforce. I couldn't see that happening at all, heck 'we were just opening the market to Canada and Mexico', I argued. DUH!!!!! Well, 15-20 years later and a lot wiser, I could kick myself over and over for not seeing what my husband saw at the time.
this evening, I had not heard
anything about this.
But now I'm very curious
to know more.
Yeah, I know it's a very long read, but it puts things into the perspective of WHY all these things are occurring! Let us know what you think.
BTW, yes it's a Heritage Softail :]
According to a more recent article in Forbes, it looks like Hershey's may end up being sold. According to the Financial Times, Cadbury Schweppes may buy it (link).
This isn't the first time Hershey's has been put up for sale. It happened back in 2002, when Cadbury and Nestle considered teaming up to buy Hershey (link). Faced with a lot of anger in the community, a legal challenge, union pressure, etc. they decided to drop the whole thing.
There are a couple of really good articles (link and link) from back in 2002 that deal with the threat of the Hershey's sale. Well worth reading by anybody who thinks business should be about people, not just profits.
Another thing to keep in mind, which is mentioned in the Snopes article is that one of the reasons for moving some of the manufacturing out of the US is to focus on emerging markets. They will continue to manufacture 80% of their products in the US. 89% of their sales will continue to be in the US. But that means 11% of their sales are outside the US, and they want that number to go up. They want to increase their sales in other countries, especially in Latin America, India, and Asia. With a combined population of over 3 billion potential customers, can you blame them?
As long as they are only trying to expand their markets. Conidering the recent trends of factory closings, one naturally has to be scepticial of their motives.
Will we see less and less Hershey's chocolate being made in the USA over the coming decades? Yeah, I think we will. I think that'll happen regardless of whether the Hershey Trust retains control or whether the company is sold off.
Which goal are you talking about, Tim? Their goal of expanding into new markets? Their goal of competing against companies like Cadbury Schweppes, Nestle, and Mars? Their goal of making a profit instead of going bust? Their goal of trying to earn more money from areas of their operation apart from chocolate manufacturing (Hershey's Chocolate World, HersheyPark, Hershey's Food Service, Hershey's Vending, Hershey's Fundraising, etc.)? Their goal (if they still consider it a goal) to live up to Milton Hershey's plan to "build a town, not just a company"?
Obviously they've got a lot of goals. Some of those goals will involve putting American employees out of work. Others will involve hiring more American employees. They'll also involve hiring and firing non-American employees. Do you think their only goal should be to never put another American employee out of work for as long as the company can survive?
Your true colors are showing through Wil. I hope that you enjoy living in Australia.
Quite frankly, if you find my overall attitude disturbing, I really couldn't care less. You asked for some info about Hershey's and I gave it to you.
I haven't jumped to anybody's defense, but it's funny that you keep trying to convince me that I have.
Do you honestly think companies should never fire or lay off an employee again? Do you think that will somehow save the American middle class and make the US economy stronger? Do you think that banning all Chinese imports (or all imports, period) and somehow getting rid of all illegal immigrants is going to save the American middle class and make the US economy stronger?
If you can't understand this, maybe it is because this isn't happening to you, in your country.
Are you sure Hershey's is leaving American families without income and taking the jobs to foreign countries? Because the last time I checked, Hershey's was still hiring people in the United States.
I know it hurts families, communities and sometimes entire towns when a company closes a factory down or lays off a bunch of people. But can we expect companies to never lay employees off? Once an American gets a job, should they be guaranteed to keep it for life?
I don't know if the jobs that were lost from the closures in the US and Canada have gone to people in other countries. As I said earlier in this discussion, one of the things Hershey is trying to do is sell more candy in countries like Mexico, Brazil, India, China, etc. Is it OK for Hershey to have a factory in Mexico to make candy that they sell in Mexico? I don't know if that's the way it's working. I expect that as Hershey tries to become a global business, they'll be making products in more countries and shipping to wherever they can sell them.
Can they grow their company to go after developing markets with 3 billion potential customers without losing the loyalty of their customers in the US? I don't know. Maybe not. I think if they want to live up to Milton Hershey's idea, they need to try.
Linda..several of us have been wondering about that here lately.
I would've thought it was perfectly clear what I'm doing here on Gather. Especially if you've taken the time to look at my profile. I'm participating in discussions. You're right, I haven't written any articles yet. Is that OK?
I don't necessarily side with big business, but I understand that without business (big, small, or whatever) there's no labor force. And the other way around, of course. And to me, there are a lot of issues besides how many people a company is hiring or firing, or where they're building their factories. Although those can be important issues too.
To use Hershey's, for example, if they promised that all the chocolate sold in the US was made in US factories, would that make everybody happy? Is it OK if the candy they sell in Mexico is made in Mexico, and the candy they sell in China is made in China, or do you think they should limit their operations to the US only? Would that make them a great American company again?
Or would they (and by extension all their employees and consumers) still be bad because they buy cocoa that is produced by child slave labor? Or do we cut them some slack because they're involved in the International Cocoa Initiative and the World Cocoa Foundation, not to mention the Milton Hershey School, a children's burns center in Mexico, and all the other stuff they do?
Hey, is that okay with you????
If ole' Wil has his way, there will be more. But then again, he's all comfy in Australia drawing $100,000 per year. Doesn't affect him none the least.
Hey, is that okay with you?"
If you're asking if I think it sucks that those people lost their jobs, then my answer is yes.
If you're asking if I think Hershey or any other business should somehow be forced to keep factories open and never fire or lay people off, then my answer is no.
My longer is answer is that more needs to be done to try to make sure those workers and communities don't end up getting totally screwed.
If I own my own a business -- a restaurant, a bookstore, a software company, a plumbing business, a playing card factory or whatever -- and I decide to close my business in Jutesgrove, Mississippi and start up in Eagle Gulch, New Mexico, does that make me a bad person?
You are constantly showing your true colors..keep it up!
As I've said many times before, Tim. I'm not "blogging" for anyone. For one thing, this isn't "blogging." And for another thing, I'm not participating in these Gather discussions on anybody else's behalf. I'm just posting for myself.
If you haven't witnessed me commenting on any other kinds of articles, I guess you didn't look hard enough. The comments are there. I guess if I've commented more on articles involved certain topics (including the ones you've mentioned), it's because I'm interested in those topics. And because I seem to spend a lot of time writing responses like this, which don't actually have anything to do with the topics of the articles.
You're right, there are a lot of articles here on Gather about lots of other subjects. Some of those subjects are things I'm just not interested in. Other times I read the articles but don't leave a comment because I don't feel like I have anything to contribute to a discussion. But a lot of it comes down to just having a limited amount of time to devote to posting anything at all here at Gather. So many articles, so little time. :)
I just wanted to say I am finally going through what is now under 6,400 pieces of gather new mail that is in my inbox on here. So with that in mind I have finally come to a piece of mail that was addressed to me in regards this article submission you have created to share with the gather community. Thank you for taking the time and sharing your piece with us here at gather. :o)
And I hope you have a Happy New Year... in 2009 :o)