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Friday, June 11 2010 - 02:43 AM
Hershey's Child Labor
This Saturday, June 12, is World Day Against Child Labor.
In recognition of this day, we’re asking you to join us in a call-in action to Hershey’s Chocolate, asking them to take action to ensure that no forced child labor is used in making their chocolate products.
As the producer of dozens of products enjoyed by children and adults in this country (Hershey’s kisses, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and popular candy bars like Almond Joy and Mounds), Hershey’s has a responsibility to ensure that children in other countries don’t suffer in the creation of their products. And yet so far, Hershey’s has refused to agree to any third-party certification programs for their cocoa supply.
With the US State Department estimating that there are more than 100,000 child laborers working in hazardous conditions on West African cocoa farms, there’s no excuse for Hershey not to seek the fairest, cleanest, best supply chain possible.
When you call Hershey today to demand better, you’ll be joining with Fair Trade supporters across the country who want to see US chocolate companies upholding a higher standard for their supply chains.
Here in America, Hershey represents something sweet. They’ve even called themselves “The great American chocolate bar.”
But halfway around the world, there’s a dark side to the chocolate business. A sad and sordid story of child slavery, forced labor, unsafe working conditions, cruel beatings and imprisonment.
It’s enough to break your heart – and turn your stomach.
In Western Africa, more than a quarter-million children are forced to pick cocoa beans in brutal working conditions. Those beans travel halfway around the world to be turned into chocolate bars – to satisfy the “sweet tooth” of Americans who probably have no idea where their cocoa is coming from.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Other chocolate makers have pledged to purchase only Fair Trade cocoa: which in addition to being free from the bitter taint of child labor, also means a fair price for cocoa farmers and a better standard of living for their families.
But Hershey has so far refused to make the same pledge. And by their inaction they help guarantee a large, ready and profitable market for all the Ivory Coast cocoa and more heartbreaking child labor and worker abuse.
There’s nothing sweet about child slavery.
Amir Raheem says...
Thanks for the blog Ray…had I posted it, I would be accused of playing the race card…thank you.
PK your post SPEAKS VOLUMNS…CONSIDERING, YOUR MIND ARTICULATES YOUR FINGERS TO EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/chocolate
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0412-05.htm
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12754
http://globalpoverty.change.org/petitions/view/tell_hershey_mars_nestle_to_stop_child_labor
http://www.organicconsumers.org/fair_trade/slavechocolate060414.cfm
http://www.greenamericatoday.org/programs/responsibleshopper/company.cfm?id=238
http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/call_hershey_about_child_labor_today
http://www.laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cocoa-campaign/hershey-call-in-day
http://www.castla.org/call-hershey-to-demand-an-end-to-child-and-slave-labor
TAKE YOUR PICK 20+ PAGES INCLUDING “YOU TUBE” VIDEO. IT IS INCREDIBLE HOW SIMPLE IT IS TO DENY THE OBVIOUS. IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE RAY…I KNOW YOU WON’T BELIEVE ME. THE GLOBAL AGENDA IS NOT AFFECTING YOUR DAILY LIFE….YET…BUT DENIAL ONLY ASSURES YOUR DEMISE.
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Amir Raheem says...
Rit they have moved…
Hershey’s Chocolate Moves to Mexico
Columns | Tue, 01/15/2008 – 12:11 pm | Read 18701 | Commented 53 | Emailed 120 By Jack Fichter
Fewer and fewer products are being manufactured in America. Now, add to the list Hershey Candy. The company is moving to Mexico. This press release from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa sums it up:
In another blow to working families in the United States and Canada, the Hershey Company has announced that it will be closing multiple plants, cutting its workforce by 11.5 percent and moving jobs to a new plant in Monterey, Mexico.
more…
http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/article/20022-hershey-s-chocolate-moves-mexico
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Cybertariat says...
Hershey’s “has refused to agree to any third-party certification program…to seek the fairest, cleanest, best supply chain possible” because, once again, today’s “socially responsible” capitalist is tomorrow’s bankrupt capitalist.
Too, for a people whose own government rejected a child labor amendment to its own constitution (circa 1924), we Americans hold little high ground on which to condemn other societies with respect to child labor, forced or otherwise.
Persevere..
Guy..
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Ray Cunneff says...
To call Hershey’s:
1-800-468-1714, Dial “0”
You may need to push Zero three times to get to an operator. Back-up number is 717-534-4200.
Ask Hershey to go Fair Trade.
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roxi says...
Another foreign-owned business, Ethan Allen furniture no longer constructs this former American co’s products in the USA. Farooq Kathwari, owner – brags about having ‘elements’ of all furniture for sale in the US constructed in different foreign 3-world countries-his excuse that certain elements are best acquired and built overseas (reads: cheaper), then sometimes assembled in this country, but not always.
http://www.ethanallen.com/corporate/home
So for those who prefer ‘high-end’ furniture, they should think again where it comes from, and what those 3-world workers are actually getting paid.
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Ray Cunneff says...
BACKGROUND:
For years, major chocolate companies have known that the worst forms of child labor and trafficked labor are used in the production of the cocoa beans they purchase from West Africa, particularly Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Many companies use third-party certification programs in order to ensure that certain labor and environmental standards are met in the production of the cocoa they use in their chocolate. There are a number of certification programs related to cocoa production and many of them involve labels that communicate to consumers what standards were used in the production of the cocoa they are about to enjoy.
This past January, Green & Black’s committed to moving their entire line of chocolate bars worldwide to Fair Trade, starting in mid 2010. Cadbury has been selling the Fair Trade Dairy Milk bar (their number #1 selling bar) since March 2009, and Nestlé recently began offering Fair Trade Kit Kat bars in the UK.
Major chocolate companies like Mars, Cargill, Heinz, Kraft, Starbucks and Ben & Jerry’s have all agreed to various certification programs for their cocoa. While some of these programs do include labor rights standards, they are not as strong and comprehensive as they need to be to ensure workers’ rights are protected. They also do not address the problem of the low prices paid to cocoa farmers for their beans – a critical component of why child labor persists in this sector.
Fair Trade certification ensures that farmers are both able to meet the basic needs of their families and to continue to grow cocoa in the future by offering a fair price for cocoa. Fair Trade provides a path for farmers to increase their livelihoods and improve labor and environmental conditions in cocoa production. Fair Trade also has additional benefits like encouraging the development of democratic cooperatives where farmers have a greater voice in the market.
On the other hand, Hershey has not agreed to any third-party certification programs for their cocoa supply. Hershey’s cares about their image and is therefore well placed to be a leader in Fair Trade cocoa sourcing for US consumers, but they need to know that we want our chocolate to be Fair Trade Certified™!
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ritcsilv says...
I only buy new balance shoes they are still made in the USA.
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Cagy Wolf says...
Hershey also opened a plant in mexico so it wouldn’t have to pay its illegal alien workers a decent wage in the USA nor hire american workers. Don’t buy their products and write them why you won’t.
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ritcsilv says...
A few years ago I read that Hersheys was going to close their plant in the U.S. and move it to Mexico for cheaper labor. It that time I have made it a pack that I will not buy anything with the Hersheys name on it. So far it’s have been going onto 5 years
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