Study finds widespread abuse of undocumented cleaners in the Netherlands
The exploitation of cleaners at the luxury Amsterdam gym chain Saints & Stars is part of a wider, systemic problem in the Netherlands, according to new research by Utrecht University. The study warns that current Dutch regulations for cleaning work make such abuse easier, with undocumented migrants among the most frequent victims.
The research team interviewed 22 undocumented cleaners over the past six months, including people working in private homes. Ilse van Liempt, the study’s coordinator, said the cleaning sector is often the only way these individuals can earn an income.
“This involves people whose asylum applications have expired but who cannot return to their country of origin,” Van Liempt told NOS. “It also includes those who lost their residence permits after the death of a partner or following a divorce.”
Cleaning in private homes is almost always informal, without contracts, set wages, or regulated working hours. Workers are often unaware of the exact agreements made with clients. Because there is no work permit available for this type of employment in the Netherlands, the labor is largely invisible and difficult to monitor.
“These people often work for low wages, so they earn little and have to work very long days to survive,” Van Liempt told the newspaper. “Many are also not paid at all. Almost everyone we spoke to has experienced not being paid for work they completed.”
The report notes that fear of deportation keeps many victims from contacting the police or labor inspectorate. One cleaner from Iran told researchers: “They know I don’t have a residence permit. It is very stressful because you constantly wonder what will happen if they call the immigration service or the police.”
The researchers warn that a new legal development will make the problem worse. Last month, the Tweede Kamer approved legislation criminalizing illegal stay in the Netherlands. This, they say, will further discourage undocumented workers from asserting their rights.
The Saints & Stars case drew public attention to the issue late last month when Het Parool reported that cleaners at the gym were allegedly forced to work up to 17 hours a day, surrender their passports, and share beds with multiple people. The chain allegedly offered workers money to state they had been treated well. Saints & Stars denies any exploitation.
“We tolerate migrant labor because it is needed to keep our economy running,” Van Liempt told NOS. “But it is expected to stay in the background, and workers are simply supposed to adjust to their clients’ wishes.”
The researchers say that preventing abuse requires changes in how cleaning work is organized. They recommend introducing rules to ensure responsible employment practices in the sector. “If we start seeing cleaning more as proper work and less as a casual task, then hopefully working conditions could be better regulated,” Van Liempt said.
