With the release of his upcoming memoir just weeks away, former Studio Ghibli executive Steve Alpert revealed that the studio violated a number of labor laws during his time with the company.
The revelation comes in one of many anecdotes Alpert tells in his memoir Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man: 15 Years at Studio Ghibli, where he speaks on his time with Ghibli from 1996 to 2011. He revealed how the studio broke labor laws to finish up production on Hayao Miyazaki's films.
Alpert stated that at times the staff was working "an illegal number of hours" when productions were aiming for deadlines. He went on to describe the working conditions during his time at Studio Ghibli, and how the crew worked a six-day week while not getting paid for overtime or taking any vacations. There was also potential gender discrimination that went on during that time, stating, "And duties such as cleaning the office and serving tea or coffee were mandatory for all female employees (only)."
During his time at the studio, Alpert worked in the international division where he helped to broker the Disney distribution deal along with pushing Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away to western audiences.
Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man: 15 Years at Studio Ghibli arrives in stores on June 16.
(via Cartoon Brew)