The union stated that "KBS 2TV's currently on-air Wednesday-Thursday drama 'When the Camellia Blooms' required their staff to work for long hours of labor. They forced them to work in a business consignment agreement than using a standard labor contract. They are filming even without a contract.
The union wrote in the statement that they communicated with the Pan Entertainment production company of "When the Camellia Blooms" to be able to resolve the issue of the staff working with no contracts and for labor rights protection.
The union demanded a limit of 14 hours of labor per day which excludes 2 hours of break time, the departure from the KBS Annex and dispersing at the KBS Annex, including the time of travel in total hours of work when departing from the KBS Annex to other places like Boryeong or Pohang, and including 2 hours for Boryeong and 4 hours for Pohang in the total hours of work when going back to the KBS Annex from other places.
The production company made a suggestion of 16 hours of work per day which excludes 2 hours of break time and excluding the time of travel to other places like Boryeong and Pohang from the total hours of labor. The negotiation ended with the drama filming for a total of 21 hours and gave a sauna to the staff for lodging on October 4.
The reason is for them to be able to leave filming at 11 a.m. the next day. The union said that they restored the cruelty of 20-hour filming and sauna lodging that existed for a long time.
The union demanded the same conditions to the production company for the second time. They said that they strongly criticized the production company that suggested a total of 20 hours of filming and saunas that no assurance of good sleep. The union said that they are violating the labor rights of the staff on the drama set and risking their health and life.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor previously announced in July about the outcome of their labor supervision of four dramas-" Mother of Mine," "My Fellow Citizens," "Doctor Prisoner," and "Left-Handed Wife". It took corrective measures that stated the staff working on the sets are under labor contracts even with mostly working under business consignment agreements. The production company should take care of their staff and not abuse them at work. Without their staff, the filming will not be successful.
