FilmWorks United International Working Class Film & Video Festival
Empire of Shame Director - Hong Li-gyeong (92 min) 2013, Korea
Empire of Shame is about the struggle of Samsung workers to defend their health and safety and get compensation from the company. The corporation refused to admit that workers were getting cancer from the chemicals and toxins that were used in the plants.
A total of 193 employees have applied for workers compensation for industrial diseases and 73 of these workers have already lost their lives to disease.
Workers are required to give direct proof of a casual link between their duties and their sickness. This makes it extremely difficult for worker who are very sick to get the treatment they need.
This film shows the struggle to get to the truth and to defend the health and safety of the workers.
See also:
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/624867.html
http://www.laborfest.net/2014/2014schedule.htm