Bitter Sweets - The Labor Woes of Fannie May, Fannie Farmer Candies

[benburch]

Recently, the Archibald Candy Company of Chicago, makers of Fannie May, Fannie Farmer, and Laura Secord candy brands announced that they were closing their West-Loop district candy plant, and all of their retail stores. This will unemploy at least 600 workers from their Chicago plant and many others in the retail stores and distribution chain.

The archibald company plans to sell it's brands to a Colorado-based firm, and has land in Chicago worth about $15 Million.

Today, on WBBM-AM's "At Issue" program, Congressman Luis Gutierrez (http://luisgutierrez.house.gov/) said that the Archibald company is trying to escape from the 60-day plant closing law, is playing games with the pension fund, will not pay employees owed vacation time, and that he has worries about the employee's 401-K funds as well.

In addition to Rep. Gutierrez's zoning initiative (mentioned in a press release on his congressional website) that hopes to force the company to do right by its workers, I think there is something that WE can do;

Stop buying their brands of candy.

Valentine's Day is coming up, and it is traditional to buy candy for one's sweetie. This year, buy another brand.

Do not buy ANY Fannie May, Fanny Farmer, or Laura Secord candies this year.

This will have two effects; It will sour the deal in which Archibald Candy Co. plans to sell the brand names, and it will make it impossible for them to move their already produced Valentine's Day inventories.

This Boycott should be maintained until Archibald complies with the provisions of the plant closing act, restores its pension funds, and pays workers owed vacation time.

In American law, employees come LAST in such a situation. Lets see if we can leverage our position as consumers of candy to move them closer to the head of the line.

Thank you for your attention!

-Ben Burch
White Rose Society Webmaster
http://www.WhiteRoseSociety.org/

[MrPrax]

1. Kicked for the Sisters

In Solidarity with the Purdy's Chocolate Sisters!!

"Congratulations goes out to these workers who never gave up despite the many obstacles thrown in their path, the CEP for never giving up on them, and the working classes of BC who refused to patronize this employer until they signed a fair agreement."
http://www.1rev.net/archive/38-repub/repub_38_purdy.html

Boycotts work!!!

[benburch]

2. That's a hopeful story!

We need to take direct action like that much more often.