Hershey Foods Corp., the nation’s largest candy maker, is demanding that workers accept an increase in co-payments in health insurance benefits. This is the first strike in 22 years at the 108-year-old company.

The 2,700 members of Chocolate Workers Local 464 have been working without a contract since November. The two plants, as well as the nonunion Reese’s plant, make chocolate bars, Hershey’s Kisses, and chocolate eggs, which are also produced at 12 other plants owned by the company.

Workers are fighting a company drive to increase the amount union members pay on health insurance premiums from 6 to 12 percent over the course of a four-year contract. This would wipe out proposed wage increases amounting to around 2.6 percent a year. On April 23 union members voted by a 7 to 1 margin to reject these concession demands.

"It makes us feel good that the public is behind our decision," Christine Baltimore, a Hershey’s worker for 10 years, told the Patriot News after seeing the response from passersby to the strike. Baltimore drew cheers when she came to the picket line dressed as an orange M&M, a product of Hershey’s competitor M&M Mars Inc.

There is no reason why they should have to bear higher costs for health care, said the strikers, pointing out that the company can afford it despite its argument that health insurance costs are increasing at a fast pace. Hershey’s posted $87 million profit in the first quarter, 10 percent more than a year ago. "This company is making money hand over fist and there is no reason it can’t be shared," Frankleen Gibson, an air-conditioning laborer, told the Lebanon Daily News. "We’re ready and we’re going to stand tough. We’re not going back in a week or two."

Workers at the union hall, located one block from the factory, are organizing members to sign up shifts on the 24-hour picket. The union is also posting pickets at the company’s 23 other locations, including the Reese’s plant.

The company also appears to be organized for a fight. Analyst George Askew of Legg Mason said the company has $30 million more in inventory than it needs at this time of year and a cash balance of about $220 million. Hershey Foods has also hired an antiunion outfit to position thugs around the struck plants. "They can pay these goons from other states, but they can’t pay us our benefits," said union picket Jimmy Kline.

The wage scale at Hershey’s starts at around $15 an hour and tops out at close to $20, said a worker at the hall. A short distance down the road, Hershey’s pays workers at the Reese’s plant 80 cents an hour more for the same labor grades. The company has put guards with video cameras outside the nonunion factory.

Sterling Gernert, 40, who walked the picket line during strikes in 1972 and 1980, told the press that he sees more solidarity this time than in the last two struggles. "The people are more riled up than ever. I’m ready for this strike. We’ll stay out as long as it takes."

Bob Stanton in Philadelphia contributed to this article.  
 
 
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