Foreign Students File Complaint Against Hershey's For Not-So-Sweet Treatment

HERSHEY, Pa. (CBS) - A group of foreign students have filed a complaint against Hershey's Chocolate, alleging the company violated the terms of their visas.

The students staged a sit-in at the packaging plant where they've been working this summer, while in the U.S. on cultural exchange visas.

The students paid $3,000-$6,000 each to come to the U.S. for a cultural exchange. They ended up working 40 hours a week, for minimum wage, packaging Hershey's products and they say the company deducted $400 a week from their paychecks for rent. They say complaints to the company were met with threats, so they sought help from the Guest Workers Alliance.

Spokesman Stephen Boykewich says the alliance is helping, even though the students are not guest workers.

"The students expected primarily a cultural exchange, the chance to learn English, the chance to experience American culture. There was absolutely no cultural exchange whatsoever. It's a running joke among the students: the primary cultural exchange they've had has been between the Turks and the Maldovans."

Hershey's did not respond to requests for comment.

Reported by Pat Loeb, KYW Newsradio 1060