Union: Gov't must prevent exploitation of Ukrainian refugees in construction

Ukrainians who may soon start working in the Netherlands should be protected from exploitation by malicious people, said FNV Bouwen en Wonen, which represents the construction sector for the FNV labor union. The organization especially wants to prevent refugees from being squeezed on construction sites, or people from becoming "lost" in the illegal circuit.

Ukrainian employees are still required to have a work permit until the rules change on April 1. The Cabinet has indicated that employers only need to notify the government of its new hires from this group of people after April 1. The temporary arrangement was still being worked on this week. The FNV believes that everyone will be better off if all people are registered.

The FNV also wants a set of basic conditions on top of the reporting obligation. For example, the union advocates for access to information, access to the legal system and making it clear where these people are located, as well as where they start working. According to the organization, these are all basic conditions to prevent abuse, and to offer people prospects for the future.

"What we know about migrant workers from outside the EU working in the construction industry does not bode well," said FNV director Hans Crombeen. "The ambiguity of the figures about how many migrant workers work in the construction industry and break downs in the reporting obligation are illustrative of the current worrying situation, the FNV determined."

This is not the first time that the union has issued a call to better protect refugees. Earlier this week, the union called for a number of recommendations from a report on abuses in the temporary employment sector to be implemented more quickly. The union said that this could also prevent the risk of exploitation.