Last winter season, Computer Science trainee Aaron Serpilin was taking a trip through Sweden by himself. He worked a number of months to be able to pay for the journey. As he found himself in the remote arctic village of Abisko, he could not manage to get back to the airport. He worked for the cash, however says he wasn't paid on time. "It was irritating having to ask my household for two hundred euros to not get stuck on the North Pole", he says.

Similarly, an UvA trainee treated his girlfriend to a getaway in Spain last summertime. He says he was promised he 'd be spent for his work on time. Instead, he needed to ask his household for cash and his sweetheart broke in too.

Ghosted

Both trainees seem like they have actually been made the most of by job firm ViaOns, and they're part of a bigger group of VU and UvA students who are all trying to earn money. They utilized the agency because it was a convenient method to get reasonably well-paying hospitality tasks. ViaOns (which implies 'through us' in Dutch) connects workers to business such as restaurants and bars. The earnings are then supposed to go through ViaOns to the staff members.

The trainees apparently got their cash in the start, although there could be a few weeks in between doing a shift and earning money. But they say that at some time, the hold-ups got even worse, and the students wound up being owed large amounts of cash for months on end with no trusted indication of when and even if they would get anything. "I do not know whether they're putting it in crypto or investing it elsewhere. It's a secret to me why they don't pay their workers", the UvA trainee says.

In the case of Economics and Business Economics student Martin, he says he began requesting for his money after waiting for more than a month. ViaOns told him they were still waiting on the restaurant to spend for his shifts. As another month passed, Martin decided to stop working entirely up until he earned money. "I was calling like two times a day saying: brother please, I require the cash. I got ta pay for food and my lease."

Martin states he was typically 'ghosted' when asking for his money, or he would be told that they were still waiting on the restaurant. However, the restaurant ensured him that his shifts had actually already been paid to ViaOns. He claims the agency still owes him over 1,000 euros. WhatsApp screenshots shared by the trainees portray a lot of one-sided interaction in between the students and ViaOns, with the trainees sending reminder after tip that they're waiting on pay from a long period of time ago.

Legal action

Serpilin worked 3 days per week for a number of months to conserve up for his journey to Sweden. He says he talked with ViaOns before traveling and was guaranteed he 'd get his money on time, but as soon as in Sweden, he states he was ghosted and much of his plans were cancelled because he could not pay for them.

Despite this horrible experience, he continued to deal with ViaOns and did get some payments, but it would typically take a very long time and due to the delays he states he was essentially broke, waiting for a number of months of pay. He talked to pals who remained in the exact same boat as him and discovered a debt collector going to help them get the cash.

Gradually, the number of trainees attempting to get their cash increased to sixteen. The trainees discovered each other through their own networks, indicating they are not always the only ones impacted. More recently, they're speaking with a lawyer and wish to pursue a legal case, which has replaced their strategy of using a debt collection agency.

Societal problem

Providing the students with legal aid is a bit tricky according to attorney Dylan Schreurs, who has checked out the case and is talking about prospective actions with the included trainees. "I believe it's a social problem that these are all trainees who really require this money, but can't use for [subsidized] legal aid due to the fact that they're seen as freelancers", Schreurs describes. "They're actually failing the fractures."

The legal representative thinks the students have a very strong case and states that even if the restaurants did not transfer their salaries, ViaOns would still be required to pay the students. But he likewise believes the case might be bigger than simply getting the students their lost wages, as he thinks ViaOns might be wrongfully dealing with people as freelancers instead of salaried employees. "That would indicate they have actually been utilizing really inexpensive labour while getting rich from it without contributing to our social security systems", states Schreurs.

Securing loans

According to an Excel file they made, the group of sixteen trainees is owed over 13,000 euros. Serpilin is waiting for the biggest amount: almost 4,000 euros. He states he had to secure loans to spend for groceries and lease. "There have actually been a lot of days that my pals go out and I either join them without getting anything, or I simply don't go due to the fact that I can't afford it."

Most of all, he would describe the scenario as humiliating. "How do you tell your pals or family that you work three days a week, but then all of a sudden you require to loan money to spend for things? I work every weekend and have absolutely nothing to show for it." Martin felt a comparable shame when asking his workplace on 3 various celebrations if they've paid ViaOns.

Playing favourites

The three trainees that spoke with Ad Valvas feel like the cash has actually been stolen from them. "It feels very intentional on their part", says Martin. The UvA student also thinks that the business plays favourites with its workers. He claims to be knowledgeable about certain individuals making money before others for the exact very same shift.

If someone begins 'being annoying' about not making money in time, the UvA student says the company will toy with them and keep stringing them along. "I've discovered that if you're local and you're their good friend, you're not going to experience many problems."

But worldwide students who end up leaving the country may be less likely to get their cash back. One of them is still owed for working on King's Day in 2024 and has considering that transferred to another nation, the UvA student states.

Ad Valvas has been in touch with ViaOns, but ViaOns has not yet addressed our questions or supplied a declaration. Should they still offer a reaction, it will be included to this short article.