Registered: Dec 2006
Location: Oakdale Calif. Cowboy Capitol of the world
Posts: 481

Hershey, The great UN-American Choclate bar

Hershey Choclate announced last week that they will be closing their Oakdale California plant. This along with their other plants in the U.S.A, will be closing or reducing their workforce. They are moving their operations to Mexico.
Well my first thought is there goes 575 U.S. jobs to a low wage work force. Some CEO is making over $60 million a year to answer to the stock holders. Mr Hershey is probably spinning in his grave. His whole company was founded on the idea of work for the enrichment of the workers and their families.
My next thought is the Mexican population on May 1st showed their strength and numbers in support of the illegal immigrants. I forget the estimated numbers of Mexican immigrants entering the U.S. illegally, but it is significant. I have no problem with people trying to better their lives, just make sure they get a Social Security Card and pay their taxes. It is not fair for the working middle class to have to shoulder most of the burden of the non-tax paying populace.
Now why is Hershey moving to Mexico? Like I implied earlier...Cheaper workforce. This is the way of many large corporations now...Proctor & Gamble Shut down most of their U.S. operations several years ago and moved their disposable diapers production to Mexico. Perhaps if the Mexican workforce could organize and form thier own union maybe there would be some equalization of the workforce/pay scale, and show the rich mega buck shareholders what they can do with their stock.
My question is what are the long term "trickle down" effects of these plant closures. How safe will the Hershey products be. There have been recent reports of Mexican candy containing high levels of lead.
Sorry Hershey, I guess I will be switching brands.

__________________
I void warranties! www.instructables.com '01 Ody LX, '93 Mazda MPV (retired) '88 GMC 3500 retired from caltrans to the country, '92 Toyota Corolla wagon, '73 Gremlin X Levi edition (Being restored) '49 GMC p/u project and several thousand Hot Wheels!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: SFO--->Oahu
Posts: 4496

Wow, I didn't even know there was a Hershey's in Oakdale !
Sad to hear.

__________________
-Rob-
1995 Subaru Legacy LS/1992 Mazda Miata

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Broadview Hts, OH
Posts: 10

Sad to hear, yes... but un-American? Let me just say that my understanding of our economy involves a free-market based on capitalism, which basically means "make a profit." So if it's cheaper for a company to move operations elsewhere, how un-American is that? Competition and all, right?

It's like an old neighbor of mine who would chide me for owning a Honda and a VW because I wasn't supporting America. I repeatedly told him that by buying what I thought was the best product for my $$, I was supporting capitalism... and America. Nevermind that he owned a Dodge Colt, which was made in Japan.

__________________
Cheers,
KohyutA

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Maryland
Posts: 775

quote:

---

Originally posted by kohyuta
Sad to hear, yes... but un-American? Let me just say that my understanding of our economy involves a free-market based on capitalism, which basically means "make a profit." So if it's cheaper for a company to move operations elsewhere, how un-American is that? Competition and all, right?

---

__________________
'08 EX-L Navi+RES: exterior keypad, startup screen, sliding door in gear
'02 EX-L Navi: exterior keypad, priority start, airbag cutoff, sliding-door beeperectomy, always-powered windows, stealth backup camera

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Nor*Cal
Posts: 74

Ironic since Hershey wouldn't have ever gotten off the ground at the beginning without international support:

http://www.hersheys.com/discover/mi...ter_caramel.asp

Chocolate? Un-American? Um, ok.

So let's take that logic and apply it to clothes you're wearing or that gas in your car?

__________________
2007 Odyssey Touring; White/Ivory;
w/RES & Navi <-- I still get lost. I just get there faster.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2004
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 1662

Hershey is also closing a plant in Smiths Falls, Canada. The number of jobs lost is in the hundreds; 600 comes to mind. It's the global economy at work. Some stuff cannot be made or grown locally. It's not the case here. Someone should do an analysis of the economic impact of all those extra transports on the roads. The company saves on salaries and the public subsidizes their shipping system. Buy shares in Hershey - you'll make a mint!

__________________
2002 Odyssey EX FG
Honda hood deflector, mud guards, Zymöl, Honda ATF cooler, Amsoil EaO20 oil filter, Amsoil synthetic 5W20, Krown rustproofing, block heater (gets cc...cold in Canada in winter!)

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged