I just heard on the news that Hersey's moving to Mexico? A lot of people in PA will be losing their jobs. Like, our economy isn't bad enough.
It breaks my heart, I fell as tho the Company that this country helped build, is deserting us 
Personally, Hersey's is the only chocolate I buy. It's is my family's favorite.
I sent them an e-mail telling them how disappointed I am that they would do this. I will have to start reading labels to see if Hersey's is the maker of the product before I buy, I plan on giving them up.
Here in MI our economy is in the can. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It seems to be a daily story on our news of hundreds or thousands of people losing their jobs. You would not believe how many of my loved ones have lost their jobs in the last couple of years and have not found new ones. Their accounts have been used and they have to depend on other family members to help them survive. I have people I know file bankrupcy.
Homes aren't selling, I have neighbors that their houses have been on the market for three years. We tried and after six months gave up, it just isn't happening. I lost my job two years ago due to cut backs and we were trying to downsize for lower payments.
I thought selling cakes would help, but to my suprise Brides and their families are doing their own thing to save money.
Then to hear about this. I'm sorry to dump on you guys but I am so depressed about this and CC is were I spend most of my life these days 
If you took the time to read this you are one of the special CC members who cares. Thank You.
It gets so complicated doesn't it? We are a capitalistic society and most people think that just means the people always want more money 
But in reality its about businesses being able to make as much money for as little cost, and so Mexico offers cheaper labor, less employee demands etc. Government could disallow these types of practices, but there's too much money to be made...It really is a prime example ofthe rich get richer and the poor get poorer, only its not even the "poor" its the middle class...
I heard the same thing yesterday. The company I work for makes a lot of the printing plates for their boxes and packaging. They won't be needing our services either.
Debbie
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2878320
This really ticks me off...
Hershey's is considered to be the "first American company to mass-produce and mass-market chocolate", right? I think it's awful awful for them to move (more work) to Mexico.
Janette, I'm in MI too - it really kills everytime I hear something like this, even if it's happening in another state.
I'm going to do some digging and see what other chocolate companies are producing in the US. I really hope Ghiardelli is on that list - aren't they out of SanFran?
Trader Joes sells a nice chocolate for baking, I'm going to dig further into that too.
And I'll put in my pitch for everyone to buy American cars while I'm at it!!!!! Michigan needs you to!! 
I just read an article on CNBC.com and it seemed to indicate that it is a joint venture, and that both the Chineses company and Hershey will be manufacturing their own products. At least in this article it does not mention downsizing of the Hershey plants.
I just found this article...I was curious so I had to look...I can't believe it!
http://www.pennlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business/1171594549178000.xml?pennbiz&coll=1
that article doesn't say they are moving to mexico. Hersheys isn't just a US corporation, it is a global one. They are realigning their production lines.
"By 2010, Hershey expects to make about 80 percent of its products in the U.S. and Canada, down from 90 percent now. "
They aren't shutting the US doors and moving everything south.
It seems that Hershey already has production plants in other countries. According to articles I have seen, they are just going to be moving some additional production to Mexico.
"The proportion of Hershey's manufacturing done in the U.S. and Canada will shrink, from 90 percent to 80 percent, and the effect will vary from one plant to another."
Yes, many people will lose their jobs, but I don't see that Hershey has a lot of choice.
As someone who was trying to start a business in California and who found out that I CSN"T DO IT because of the high costs here, I feel sad that Hershey has found this to be necessary, but I understand it. If they had to charge for their candy what it costs to produce it here, we wouldn't be buying it because it would be too costly. If they want to keep the price competitive, they have to find new ways to operate.
We all want to earn a lot of money for what we do, but we want to pay the least possible for what we buy. This makes it hard for companies to survive. If your employees want good wages, good benefits, pleasant working conditions, etc., but your customers want to pay bargain prices, something has to give.
Wish I had my son's degree in Economics so I could go try to find a solution for this......
that article doesn't say they are moving to mexico. Hersheys isn't just a US corporation, it is a global one. They are realigning their production lines.
"By 2010, Hershey expects to make about 80 percent of its products in the U.S. and Canada, down from 90 percent now. "
They aren't shutting the US doors and moving everything south.
yes, true, but 10% of a large company is still 10% taken away from the US. Little by little ... it all adds up.
Maybe I'm a wack job, but I do spend more money if it means buying American. But, we don't always have a choice. I believe in my fellow Americans, sometimes we forget our own. That's a whole new can of worms.
Czyadgrl, please do keep me/us updated. And thank you.
This little downsize is costing 1,500 American jobs. This goes beyond 1,500 people. As mentioned the company that makes their supplies. This will be a trickling affect. How many of these 1,500 people will lose their homes, have to take a job making half the pay.
I come from a working class family and I am a working class family. Yes, I expect to be paid a decent pay for my hard work. But, my pay goes back into the economy of our country.
Hasn't anyone figured it out yet? We don't have jobs we don't spend.
If I sound bitter it's because I am, I've seen jobs disappear but you don't see the management taking a cut (in rare cases, yes). You can bet none of the high management at Hersey's are taking a cut. They will still have their outrageous pay and exspense accounts maybe even a priviate jet.
I am a child from the 60's when people stood up for one another. Now it's what I call the "me" generation, unless it effects "me" it's not my concern. There was a time that our voices would be heard, letters written, boycotts.
I'm have the means to live a decent life. So, maybe I shouldn't care, this doesn't effect me directly. But, I do care, I care for those 1,500 people losing their jobs. And, like I said this is only the begginning.
I choose to boycott Hersey's my voice may only be a whisper, but I feel like I'm doing something than looking the other way.
Thank all of you CC members that are willing to hear me. Even if you have another view you took the time to hear me.
I am with you all the way Janette! 100% all American and proud of it! A big problem we have going on here though is the U.S. needs to regain her workforce we had back in the 50's and 60's. I'll stop here as that is a whole other can of worms not meant for CC.........just letting you know I am with you in your concerns.
Lea
10% is a large % when you consider the families loosing their jobs and other businesses suffering because of it. I'm glad they are not closing the plant but geesh...I pay more for american products and no others that do too. I hope they change their minds.
Truth be told, this kind of work is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
I mean, truthfully, do you want your children to grow up to work in a factory/production plant? Or do you want them to go into the technology/information services that are booming, better paying, and more secure? One doesn't have more honor than the other but America has moved past the Industrial boom and we're on to other things.. it sucks that so many people have suffered because of this (my family has to be sure) but in the end it's just the natural progression of things. We have evolved past kids growing up to work in an assembly line. Now the demand is for people who can work on computers, develop technologies, and help out others (Lawyers, Doctors, Government agencies, etc).
I won't buy from places that use what counts as slave labor.. but I will buy from places that don't have everything made in the US.. I can understand the need to outsource and as much as some people wouldn't mind buying all US stuff, the fact is that most people just don't have the money to do that and are penny pinchers. Nothing wrong with that, just life I suppose.
Nikki,
I am trying to word this very carefully. Maybe you weren't really thinking about what you said. I came from the inner city where education was a joke. Teachers told us that they didn't care if we learned or not because they would get a pay check either way.
My Grand-mother had a 3rd grade education, she had to quit to work on the farm. My Mother had an 8th grade education, I have a High School with come college and my children both graduated from college. Through the generations we have progressed. All with no help from others or the government.
But, until my children could get to that level there had to be larbours. My Grand-father a farmer, my Dad a Mover and my husband a auto factory worker. Each one's goal to better the next generation.
There is nothing wrong with working hard to make a living or to better yourself. I went from six people living in a two-bedroom apartment shopping at the Salvation Army to living a very good life. All done with sweat of laborers.
No wonder so many in this Country rely on government support. It's a catch 22 for them. There are those who we're dealt a bad hand and didn't get the education needed and if there are no factory/producation jobs for them to better themselves and help educate their children they are stuck in a rut. When that happens it falls in the hands of the taxpayers.
Don't be so quick to see those (what some may see as low class) jobs leave this Country. These jobs are needed for the improvement of our society.
Can we really afford to continue to support these companies? Do you want to continue to buy Hersey's products? I guess it would be easier to just pretend it's no big deal and turn away.
For those of you who come from factory/production families, I salute you. You are overworked and underpaid. You are the backbone of this great Country we live in.
Amenium, thank you for the info you are my hero
I'm from Australia but my Uncle and Grandmother are originally from MI and my Uncle has been unemployed for quite a long time now after the company he worked for for over 10 years "Downsized". They've now had to relocate to another state because of this. It's just so sad.
I am sorry for the problems in PA & MI. But what some of the people have mentioned before is more than important.
We don't shop locally. Everyone wants to make oodles of money but they spend it cheaply. They don't wish to pay for its true value. The irony however is that if we actually paid a living wage for various things it would only cost a dollar more per item. (many foundations in the US have proven that).
I can't get over how many people in my neighbourhood shop at that large unamed box store because they claim that they can't afford to shop elsewhere. My explanation to them is this. Sure they create jobs, low paying jobs. No healthcare, no benefits and now unpredictable hours. They teach their employees how to apply for gov't aid and food stamps. That alone costs the state of CA more than 68 mil on people who supposedly have jobs. (you can verify this by going to the CA Govt' websites).
Now take for instance that they do hire lots of people. Those poor souls make much less than they did in their corporate jobs. They have less disposable incomes and therefore do not buy the daily paper, where my neighbour's husband works. The daily paper here is $158.00 per year. So when they can't support her husband's job eventually he won't have one either.
For my case it is aviation. Not only do I have gouging fuel costs (that is one of the greatest bulk of aviation costs). Then I have people who want to fly cheaply and downsizing. We locally have pilots, who make less than $8,000 per year! Yes pilots making less than $8,000.00 working for one of the top airlines. I am not in a rural area at all. How do they feed their families?
So when you buy a product think about where it comes from? Think about who handled it, why you bought it and if you really need it.
I buy organic. I am a member of an organic food co-op. I don't go to that unamed box store who is now getting into organics. There is a lot of money there. However, true believers buy organics and in season so that they buy the cleanest purest product available locally. From a local grower. My organic goods are not shipped in from other countries using tons of fossil fuels which defeats the whole purpose.
People have to think. Really, really think.
I make cakes because it makes people happy. I take pictures because I know my creations will be gone in minutes. Happiness is fleeting so if my cakes make one person's day then that makes me happy.
p.s. Hershey's closed their entire plant down in a small town called Smith Falls Ontario not that long ago. They were one of the main employers.
Boeing & Bombardier aerospace companies have moved and/or are moving to Mexico and India.
These are all companies that get your your tax dollars for R & D. They take your tax dollars and still move away to increase their profits.
In order to change this course of action and the so many more to come is to vote people in who will protect your way of life. Otherwise, watch it move away.
I don't mean to add to anyone's worries. No one needs to rain on anyone's parade. But as adults we have to be realistic of the climate we live in until we decide to change it. It is not so late that it cannot be changed.
MI & PA, both your states are absolutely pictoresque. (yes I know there are many more, not being an american I have lived in 5 of them already and have visited 38 so far) however, those are the two states that sort of started this thread you will recover and you will do so with different industries and be stronger for it.
Keep your cakes coming. Keep your spirits up and don't give up on chocolate either! There is a very small portion made in the Ghirardeli factory (now more boutiques) in S. Fran. They have moved to San Leando CA. However one should note, it is owned by the Lindt company (Swiss). One final note, the cocoa bean does not grow in N. America so you are still going to have to buy foreign (poor foreign mind you) when you bite into a wonderful piece of dark chocolate.
Claire
I don't care who owns it as long as it produces jobs 
I don't shop at that "box" store. When it came to our area it shut down a number of Mom & Pop stores. 
My heart broke to see everyone excited about the bargins they were getting at the "box" store. Not caring or thinking the livelyhood that was taken away.
One way or another it's going to hit home and then it's too late to care.
By BIL and nephew were company men. Always defending company decisions. Both of them are out of work and been out of work for some time. Went from making the big bucks to working for temp jobs where they can get them. Yea, the "company" showed them loyality 
While I'm on my box, and I thank you - next time your are shopping think about the self checkout lane before you head for it. If's fast and convient but it also replaced a worker. Next time you take a cart from the parking lot into the store - think about the school boy that doesn't have a job. Trust me the savings you are helping make will not be past to the consumer, that you can be sure of.
Nikki,
I am trying to word this very carefully. Maybe you weren't really thinking about what you said. I came from the inner city where education was a joke. Teachers told us that they didn't care if we learned or not because they would get a pay check either way.
My Grand-mother had a 3rd grade education, she had to quit to work on the farm. My Mother had an 8th grade education, I have a High School with come college and my children both graduated from college. Through the generations we have progressed. All with no help from others or the government.
But, until my children could get to that level there had to be larbours. My Grand-father a farmer, my Dad a Mover and my husband a auto factory worker. Each one's goal to better the next generation.
There is nothing wrong with working hard to make a living or to better yourself. I went from six people living in a two-bedroom apartment shopping at the Salvation Army to living a very good life. All done with sweat of laborers.
No wonder so many in this Country rely on government support. It's a catch 22 for them. There are those who we're dealt a bad hand and didn't get the education needed and if there are no factory/producation jobs for them to better themselves and help educate their children they are stuck in a rut. When that happens it falls in the hands of the taxpayers.
Don't be so quick to see those (what some may see as low class) jobs leave this Country. These jobs are needed for the improvement of our society.
Can we really afford to continue to support these companies? Do you want to continue to buy Hersey's products? I guess it would be easier to just pretend it's no big deal and turn away.
For those of you who come from factory/production families, I salute you. You are overworked and underpaid. You are the backbone of this great Country we live in.
Amenium, thank you for the info you are my hero
Well, let me just say that I come from a blue-collar family where my sister and I will be the only ones with College educations.. and mine, from a Culinary school (I turned down NYU to pursue a passion for cooking).
I don't come from a well to do family of lawyers and doctors, and I wasn't handed everything on a silver platter. I know what it is to work hard for what you have-- and I do come from a family of people who worked hard and remember those hard days past, and want something better for their children.
I can't speak for everyone else but I'm glad that we don't have to quit school to work on farms, I'm glad that we don't have to go straight from High school to either having children or working in a factory. I don't frown on people who had to, or still have to. But I think overall, it's a step in the right direction to move towards a goal of everyone once again having jobs in a certain part of society where they have security, and happiness, and make enough money to live comfortably.
People always say, remember the good old days. Well, in my family we say, What was so good about them? My grandparents, my parents, they all worked hard. But it didn't neccesarily make them happy, it didn't utilize their full potential.
I'm young enough to know there is a serious problem with our school system-- the reason why people fall through the cracks, why people are told that they don't matter by their teachers, is because the school system is designed to turn out people who will eventually go to work industrial and manufacturing jobs. Unlike some other countries, namely in Europe, where they have fabulously overhauled their schooling systems. They've made it so every child is put into classes according to his talents and interests, and the Government PAYS for their schooling so they can go on to become successful in whatever they want to do.
I feel sorry for all of those losing their jobs-- I truly *know* how it feels, my family had a lot of people who worked at the Boeing plant in Washington State, and the layoffs really hurt us. We had to file for Bankruptcy, in fact. We lost everything, a nice house and cars, and moved to one tiny apartment. It doesn't change anything though, from the way our economy has evolved to what it may become. Things will be as things will be and no matter what sort of cloud we may percieve it as, there will always be a silver lining.
I mean no disrespect, at ALL, to people who work factory jobs. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone who works, period. Or who wants to work, and can't.
Some jobs, blue collar jobs, will always have a place, yes.. from shipping/delivery, trucking, certain types of farming, heck, even cake making! There will always be a demand. But the demand for goods is far outweighed by the means to successfully produce those goods here in America only. It sucks. But it is the truth. There's nothing wrong with being blue collar-- but it's just not financially possible for everyone to work blue collar, even though not everyone wants to.
My father, my family, could not pay for my education, or my sister's, or my brother. My brother is in the Navy to pay for it, my Sister worked three jobs, and I work a lot. Heck, right now I can't afford to even go get a pastry bag and powdered sugar so I can practice some cooking at home. But, just because our parents can't pay for us doesn't mean we were going to mooch off the Government or just give up. America is full of people who fight for what they want and what they believe in-- be that our Freedom or their desire for a good job in an industry they love and have passion for.
My final, closing point.. if Hershey did stay in the US and upped it's price for chocolate and its goods, how can anyone be sure that's not putting off the inevitable? Okay, so you don't lose your job in getting laid off. But who's to say that three years later, because of the inability to get ahead financially, Hershey wouldn't close its doors and file for bankruptcy too? And then you end up out of a job too. It's bleak, it's sad, I know. But there's more than one side to a coin and more than one angle to look at.
I don't want anyone to take any of this the wrong way-- I'm merely taking another point of view, and I'm looking forward to the day that our economy and main industry has turned to the point that there's no such thing as unemployment and families don't have to suffer through layoffs.
Now this is where it turns on us - we have to be willing to pay a fair price to help the economy. We always want more for ourselves.
Yesterday I spent $8.95 for my daughter and I a fruit drink from a well known ice cream company. That is 1 1/2 hours pay for some. It wouldn't have bothered me so bad if the guy behind the counter made a decent pay. But, I knew that the big $$ went to the company and when I say company I mean the high management.
Company's are top heavy, this I know. Until we are united in our protest this will continue. If they would start trimming from the top our economy may start to move in the right direction.
Hersey's may close if they didn't move jobs. But at least they would be going down with their workers instad of deserting them.
Hersey's may close if they didn't move jobs. But at least they would be going down with their workers instad of deserting them.
Now that is a good quote and a good argument! I think it's really sad that company loyalty, period, isn't really rewarded anymore. It is too much about the bottom line, world wide. That's partially why I wanted to do my own thing and go into business for myself-- I want to be able to run things ethically and not worry about being cheated/abused by the top men with dollar signs in their eyes, ugh!
Now Janette,
For the most part I do agree with you. I come from a town where the box stores have ruined the area. But people think buying cheap makes them richer and they have more goods. They have more goods but very cheap goods. Hence the garbage we produce because we throw it away so easily.
Where we differ a little is the comment of "I don't care who owns it as long as it provides jobs".
That statement is a double edged sword. Yes, foreign ownership does provide jobs however the bulk of the profits that this company makes does not stay in the country. They get tax breaks from our gov't. too in order to do business in our comunities. (if the estate tax law is repealed the current tax rebate given to the Walton heirs; not the company; currently stands at 32.7 billion dollars over ten yrs.) But the profits leave the country and don't go back into our neighbourhoods. So we loose that benefit.
The local jobs do produce wealth on the short term but a foreign company has no loyalty to its people. I am not saying that we don't do the same elsewhere. US foreign owned companies have no loyalties to their workers in Mexico or India either. So when they find cheaper labour in Sri Lanka they will be gone etc....Leaving behind a trail of devastation.
In order to do business, and in order to get tax dollars for R&D and the like these companies have to be forced to stay for the long haul. Unfortunately, our society is based on the size of your wallet not your heart.
Claire
Chiara - You're right, dumb comment on my part.
Nikki - I'm guessing you have a Bakery? If I was shopping and there was a "box" store opened across the street from you, I would still shop at your Bakery.
Even if I could get a 1/3 - 1/2 cheaper I know I am paying for quality and good service. I would also be supporting my neighborhood. But, how many are willing to do that. We are living in the "me" generation as well as the "disposable generation", a whole new can of worms.
I just don't believe you can show me a pilot working full time making $8,000 a year. 40 hours a week for 52 weeks a year @ mimimum wage is $10712.
and company loyalty also has to consider the OWNERS - that is the stockholders. I don't think they'd be too happy about the company keeling over. The taxes the company pays go into American tax coffers - so that's a little added bonus to keep it alive, don't you think?
"Buy American" is a little harder than it would appear. Toyota makes many of its cars here in the US. Providing jobs to Americans. Butif you only want to "buy American" you won't buy a toyota, would you? You might buy a Crown Victoria then - that's made by Ford - so it's an American product. Except it is made in Canada, so THOSE cars end up supplying jobs to Canadians.
It's not as black and white as many of you would like to believe.
and company loyalty also has to consider the OWNERS - that is the stockholders. I don't think they'd be too happy about the company keeling over. The taxes the company pays go into American tax coffers - so that's a little added bonus to keep it alive, don't you think?
"Buy American" is a little harder than it would appear. Toyota makes many of its cars here in the US. Providing jobs to Americans. Butif you only want to "buy American" you won't buy a toyota, would you? You might buy a Crown Victoria then - that's made by Ford - so it's an American product. Except it is made in Canada, so THOSE cars end up supplying jobs to Canadians.
It's not as black and white as many of you would like to believe.
Excellent point. There are two sides to every story. You may think you're doing the right thing but in reality are not.
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