Hershey workers approve new contract

HERSHEY, Pa. -- Members of Chocolate Workers Local 464 voted overwhelmingly Saturday to approve a new contract with Hershey Foods Corp., ending the longest strike in company history.

The April 26 walkout of 2,700 workers largely idled two chocolate plants that make up nearly a quarter of the largest U.S. candymaker's production.

On Saturday, the union's hotline had a message saying members had voted to approve the new contract 1,848 to 226.

It was not immediately clear what was in the contract. The major sticking point during the dispute had been the amount of money employees would contribute to their health care premiums. The company had wanted workers to pay more of the health care expenses in order to contain costs.

Thursday's agreement came just after the company brought in a busload of strikebreakers to run one of the plants. They continued working at the downtown plant through Friday, company spokesman John Long said. He said workers would begin returning to their jobs at the start of the week.

During the strike, members of the unionderided chief executive and board chairman Richard H. Lenny as an outsider.