It is estimated that thousands of people are victims of inhumane working conditions every year. The exact figure is not known, because many victims do not dare to report the crime.
‘Perpetrators remain unpunished’
In recent years, a lot of extra money has been made available to track down victims and punish employers, but the approach still falls short. Employers simply get away with it, concludes the Court of Audit in an extensive study presented today.
“Perpetrators go unpunished and victims are not helped”, says board member Ewout Irrgang of the Court of Audit. Employers are not easily fined and if they do, it is often far too low. “The amounts are not daunting enough.”
–
–
Less and less business
The number of cases that come before a criminal court and lead to a conviction has also been falling for years. In four years’ time, the Labor Inspectorate has processed 331 reports of exploitation. In 2016, 27 percent of the reports led to a criminal investigation. In 2019 that was only 4 percent.
Many reports cannot be dealt with because coercion and exploitation are often difficult to prove in court.
Truck as prison
And there’s something else involved. Many employees do not dare to report abuses. Edwin Atema of the FNV union knows all about this. According to him, the transport sector is notorious for inhumane working conditions. “You don’t have to search long for parking spaces along the highway,” he tells RTL Nieuws.
“I come across labor exploitation almost in every parking lot. Drivers who are on the road for months and are forced to work. Their truck feels like a prison from which they can not escape. Really terrible.”
–
–
According to Atema, the approach to exploitation has been inadequate for years. “Drivers who dare to report are told that they cannot be helped and that they should go to court in their own country. It is shameful.”
Improvements
What needs to be improved? According to the Court of Audit, more people should listen to inspectors, such as Atema. Fines should also be increased and the system amended so that higher penalties can be handed out to employers who are guilty of labor exploitation.
The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment has announced that he is open to amending criminal law.
–
–
