Migrant workers are often in a precarious position in the Netherlands. But those who abuse it, for example, through low wages or inadequate housing, can hardly be prosecuted anymore. That’s a thorn in the cabinet, so today it passes a bill that criminalizes exploitation.
The draft law introduces the concept of “serious disadvantage” for employees. This equates to exploitation. Where most labor inspectorates are still used, the government calls for criminal convictions for people who seriously harm their workers.
“This is about, for example, an employment agency that brings migrant workers to the Netherlands and lets them sleep on wooden bunk beds without a shower. Social affairs and employment.
Employers should check
Employers who recruit people through an employment agency must ensure that those who work for them are not exploited by this law. So you need to check if these employees have found a good place to sleep. Otherwise they will be punished, says Van Gennip. “If you work overtime without properly paying them, that is also a serious disadvantage,” he adds.
Eric van der Burg, Minister of State for Justice and Security: “Sometimes you see people being brought in from abroad and then forced to sleep in a barn with fifty others.” And he knows other examples: people who are seriously underpaid or have to give up their passports “All examples of things that were not possible lately but were difficult to manage. But that’s why we call it unacceptable.”
human trafficking
Of course, such abuses are not allowed under current rules, but the Cabinet believes it would be better to take action if it was clearly criminal. “Until now, it has always been handled through labor inspection and labor law. We say no, this is exploitation of vulnerable people. That’s why we include it in the article on human trafficking in the law,” says Foreign Minister Van der Burg.
The bill will be discussed today. This means that citizens and organizations can now comment before going to the House of Representatives. The government may decide to change the proposal after this comment.
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
