◀ anchor ▶
Here we go, this is reporter Ji Yoon-soo from the social team.
It is said that the toilet provided at the construction site can be seen from the outside, and there is no plumbing, so excrement is collected in a large bin and thrown away.
Unfortunately, even these toilets are not enough, so many workers suffer from cystitis and even make mistakes with their clothes.
This is the actual condition of Samsung Biologics’ 4th plant being built right behind me in Songdo, Incheon, and I will continue to report from today.
First, let’s go straight to the bathroom.
◀ Report ▶
Samsung Biologics’ 4th plant, which is being built with the aim of operating in the third quarter of next year.
It is the largest in the world for a single plant.
This is a simple men’s restroom inside the factory.
A dirty urinal is connected to an oil barrel, and a mop to dispose of spilled urine is scattered on the floor.
Although it is surrounded by a translucent screen, the entrance is open and there is no ceiling, so you can see the entire bathroom.
[여성노동자 A씨]
“The existence of the (simple) toilet itself was very surprising. You can see the back of the person standing there.”
Worse still are odors and hygiene issues.
It is basic that there is no place to wash your hands,
[남성노동자 A씨]
“There is no place to wash your hands here, and there is no time to get out because there is a problem (work), so I just rushed to the bathroom…”
You have to endure the stench without moving because you wait until the barrel is full of urine and then remove it when it’s full.
[여성노동자 A씨]
“They put oil barrels in a truck and drag them back and forth. Then the smell goes away, and it comes from a simple toilet… It was so shocking.”
When workers protested, saying, “I feel a sense of shame,” Samsung installed only a temporary partition.
The problem is that there isn’t even a toilet like this, so I can’t use it.
Unlike men who even have a portable urinal, there are no women’s restrooms in the entire 7-story factory building.
[여성노동자 B씨]
“When we go up to the ‘production building’, we can’t go to the bathroom. We have to think about drinking water.”
So, you have to go to the toilet outside the building, and even that, you have to wait for several tens of minutes.
Even though there are 700 female workers, only 39 toilets are installed outside.
The parking lot is 150 meters away from the site.
Since there are not enough toilets inside, some workers are using the parking lot toilets during lunchtime.
As a result, they were unable to drink enough water during the heat wave, and some even got sick.
[여성노동자 A씨]
“I have cystitis. I have a constant urge to pee. It hurts… I have to live with cystitis to do this job.”
Sometimes they are forced into inhumane situations.
[여성노동자 A씨]
“I couldn’t change the sanitary napkin on time. I squeezed the blood. What’s on the sanitary napkin… Do I have to work like this?”
The number of men also reached 4,200, and there were only 127 toilets installed inside and outside the factory including simple urinals.
[남성노동자 B씨]
“Even if you want to urinate, it takes about 5 minutes, but if it takes a long time to have a bowel movement, about 30 minutes…”
Sometimes disasters are bound to happen.
[남성노동자 C씨]
“I put X on my clothes. I did it three times. I had to wait for 20 or 30 people each… Then I was embarrassed, so I came out and gave up on everything and went to work.”
As the complaints continued, Samsung recently installed 14 and 8 more male and female toilets, respectively, but complained that it was still insufficient in the field.
In a recent survey of field employees, the factory’s ‘labor human rights’ received the lowest score, and some employees wrote harsh words.
[이상원/전국플랜트컨설노조 위원장]
“Samsung Bio is a site where even the basic physiological needs of humans cannot be properly addressed.”
According to the standards of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, toilets at construction sites must be installed within a moving distance of 300 meters and must be completely covered in all directions.
However, there are no standards for the number of toilets required per person, minimum space, and hygiene.
Samsung Engineering, the construction company, said, “We acknowledge the lack of toilets,” and said, “There are difficulties in securing space, but we are working to expand it.”
“In addition, after 10 days, 20 men and women toilets will be added, and from August, we plan to obtain temporary use approval so that we can use the official toilets,” he explained.
The reporting team will continue to follow up on the problem of the poor resting facilities at this factory.
Let’s go right now, this is Ji Yoon-soo.
Video coverage: Hyun Ki-taek, Heo Won-cheol, Na Kyung-woon / Video editing: Ahn Jun-hyeok
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