Last winter season, Computer Science student Aaron Serpilin was traveling through Sweden by himself. He worked a number of months to be able to manage the journey. As he discovered himself in the remote arctic village of Abisko, he couldn't manage to get back to the airport. He worked for the money, however states he wasn't paid on time. "It was irritating needing to ask my family for 2 hundred euros to not get stuck on the North Pole", he states.
Similarly, an UvA student treated his sweetheart to a getaway in Spain last summer season. He says he was guaranteed he 'd be paid for his work on time. Instead, he needed to ask his family for money and his sweetheart cracked in too.
Ghosted
Both students seem like they have actually been made the most of by task agency ViaOns, and they're part of a larger group of VU and UvA students who are all trying to make money. They used the firm since it was a convenient method to get relatively well-paying hospitality tasks. ViaOns (which means 'through us' in Dutch) connects employees to companies such as restaurants and bars. The wages are then expected to go through ViaOns to the workers.
The trainees obviously got their cash in the start, although there could be a few weeks between doing a shift and making money. But they say that at some time, the hold-ups got even worse, and the students ended up being owed large sums of cash for months on end with no dependable indication of when and even if they would receive anything. "I do not know whether they're putting it in crypto or investing it elsewhere. It's a mystery to me why they do not pay their workers", the UvA trainee says.
In the case of Economics and Business Economics trainee Martin, he states he began requesting his money after waiting on more than a month. ViaOns told him they were still awaiting the dining establishment to spend for his shifts. As another month passed, Martin decided to stop working altogether until he made money. "I was calling like twice a day stating: bro please, I need the money. I got ta spend for food and my lease."
Martin says he was typically 'ghosted' when asking for his cash, or he would be told that they were still waiting on the restaurant. However, the restaurant assured him that his shifts had actually already been paid to ViaOns. He declares the firm still owes him over 1,000 euros. WhatsApp screenshots shared by the trainees depict a lot of one-sided interaction between the students and ViaOns, with the trainees sending out suggestion after tip that they're waiting on pay from a long period of time earlier.
Legal action
Serpilin worked three days each week for a number of months to conserve up for his journey to Sweden. He states he talked with ViaOns before traveling and was guaranteed he 'd get his money on time, once in Sweden, he says he was ghosted and much of his strategies were cancelled since he could not pay for them.
Despite this terrible experience, he continued to work with ViaOns and did get some payments, however it would frequently take a long period of time and due to the hold-ups he says he was essentially broke, waiting on numerous months of pay. He talked to good friends who were in the exact same boat as him and found a collection agency ready to help them get the cash.
With time, the variety of students trying to get their cash rose to sixteen. The students found each other through their own networks, meaning they are not always the only ones impacted. More recently, they're speaking to a lawyer and dream to pursue a legal case, which has changed their method of using a collection agency.
Societal problem
Providing the with legal help is a bit challenging according to lawyer Dylan Schreurs, who has checked out the case and is going over prospective actions with the included trainees. "I think it's a societal problem that these are all trainees who actually need this money, however can't make an application for [subsidized] legal aid since they're viewed as freelancers", Schreurs describes. "They're really falling through the cracks."
The attorney thinks the students have a very strong case and states that even if the dining establishments did not transfer their earnings, ViaOns would still be obliged to pay the trainees. But he likewise believes the case could be bigger than just getting the trainees their lost salaries, as he believes ViaOns might be wrongfully dealing with individuals as freelancers instead of salaried workers. "That would indicate they have been utilizing extremely inexpensive labour while getting wealthy from it without adding to our social security systems", says Schreurs.
Taking out loans
According to an Excel file they made, the group of sixteen students is owed over 13,000 euros. Serpilin is waiting on the largest quantity: almost 4,000 euros. He says he needed to take out loans to spend for groceries and lease. "There have been a great deal of days that my buddies head out and I either join them without getting anything, or I just do not go since I can't afford it."
Most of all, he would describe the scenario as awkward. "How do you inform your buddies or family that you work three days a week, however then unexpectedly you need to loan money to pay for things? I work every weekend and have absolutely nothing to show for it." Martin felt a similar embarrassment when asking his work environment on three various occasions if they've paid ViaOns.
Playing favourites
The three trainees that talked with Ad Valvas feel like the cash has been taken from them. "It feels extremely deliberate on their part", states Martin. The UvA student likewise believes that the business plays favourites with its employees. He declares to be familiar with specific individuals getting paid before others for the exact same shift.
If somebody starts 'being irritating' about not earning money in time, the UvA trainee states the company will toy with them and keep stringing them along. "I have actually seen that if you're regional and you're their good friend, you're not going to experience many issues."
But worldwide trainees who end up leaving the nation might be less likely to get their refund. Among them is still owed for working on King's Day in 2024 and has considering that transferred to another country, the UvA student says.
Ad Valvas has actually been in touch with ViaOns, however ViaOns has actually not yet addressed our concerns or offered a declaration. Should they still supply a reaction, it will be contributed to this short article.
