Last winter season, Computer technology trainee Aaron Serpilin was taking a trip through Sweden by himself. He worked numerous months to be able to afford the trip. As he discovered himself in the remote arctic town of Abisko, he could not pay for to return to the airport. He worked for the cash, however states he wasn't paid on time. "It was frustrating needing to ask my family for 2 hundred euros to not get stuck on the North Pole", he states.

Similarly, an UvA trainee treated his sweetheart to a getaway in Spain last summer season. He says he was assured he 'd be spent for his deal with time. Instead, he had to ask his household for cash and his sweetheart cracked in too.

Ghosted

Both trainees feel like they have actually been made the most of by job company ViaOns, and they belong to a larger group of VU and UvA students who are all trying to get paid. They used the agency since it was a hassle-free method to get relatively well-paying hospitality jobs. ViaOns (which implies 'through us' in Dutch) links workers to companies such as restaurants and bars. The earnings are then supposed to go through ViaOns to the workers.
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The trainees obviously got their money in the beginning, although there could be a couple of weeks between doing a shift and earning money. But they say that eventually, the delays got worse, and the trainees ended up being owed large amounts of money for months on end without any reliable indicator of when or even if they would receive anything. "I do not understand whether they're putting it in crypto or investing it somewhere else. It's a mystery to me why they don't pay their workers", the UvA trainee says.

When it comes to Economics and Business Economics student Martin, he states he began asking for his cash after awaiting more than a month. ViaOns informed him they were still awaiting the restaurant to pay for his shifts. As another month passed, Martin decided to stop working completely till he earned money. "I was calling like two times a day stating: brother please, I require the money. I got ta spend for food and my rent."

Martin says he was often 'ghosted' when requesting for his money, or he would be told that they were still waiting on the restaurant. However, the dining establishment ensured him that his shifts had actually already been paid to ViaOns. He claims the firm still owes him over 1,000 euros. WhatsApp screenshots shared by the trainees depict a great deal of one-sided communication in between the trainees and ViaOns, with the trainees sending out tip after suggestion that they're waiting on pay from a long time ago.

Legal action

Serpilin worked three days weekly for a number of months to conserve up for his trip to Sweden. He says he spoke with ViaOns before traveling and was guaranteed he 'd get his money on time, however as soon as in Sweden, he says he was ghosted and a lot of his plans were cancelled due to the fact that he couldn't pay for them.

Despite this horrible experience, he continued to deal with ViaOns and did receive some payments, however it would often take a long time and due to the hold-ups he says he was basically broke, awaiting a number of months of pay. He spoke with good friends who were in the very same boat as him and found a debt collection agency going to help them get the cash.

In time, the number of trying to get their cash increased to sixteen. The trainees found each other through their own networks, suggesting they are not always the only ones affected. More just recently, they're speaking to a lawyer and desire to pursue a legal case, which has actually replaced their technique of using a debt collection agency.

Societal issue

Providing the students with legal help is a bit challenging according to legal representative Dylan Schreurs, who has checked out the case and is discussing possible actions with the involved trainees. "I think it's a societal problem that these are all students who truly need this money, but can't look for [subsidized] legal help due to the fact that they're seen as freelancers", Schreurs explains. "They're truly falling through the cracks."

The lawyer believes the students have a very strong case and says that even if the restaurants did not transfer their salaries, ViaOns would still be obliged to pay the trainees. But he also believes the case might be bigger than simply getting the trainees their lost earnings, as he believes ViaOns may be wrongfully treating individuals as freelancers instead of employed employees. "That would imply they have actually been using extremely inexpensive labour while getting wealthy from it without contributing to our social security systems", says Schreurs.

Getting loans

According to an Excel file they made, the group of sixteen trainees is owed over 13,000 euros. Serpilin is waiting for the largest amount: almost 4,000 euros. He says he needed to take out loans to pay for groceries and rent. "There have actually been a great deal of days that my friends head out and I either join them without getting anything, or I simply do not go because I can't manage it."

Most of all, he would explain the situation as humiliating. "How do you inform your buddies or family that you work three days a week, but then suddenly you require to loan money to pay for things? I work every weekend and have nothing to show for it." Martin felt a similar shame when asking his office on 3 different celebrations if they have actually paid ViaOns.

Playing favourites
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The three students that talked with Ad Valvas feel like the money has been stolen from them. "It feels very intentional on their part", says Martin. The UvA student likewise believes that the business plays favourites with its workers. He declares to be knowledgeable about particular individuals getting paid before others for the precise very same shift.

If somebody starts 'being frustrating' about not getting paid in time, the UvA trainee states the company will dabble them and keep stringing them along. "I've seen that if you're regional and you're their buddy, you're not going to experience lots of problems."

But international students who end up leaving the nation might be less most likely to get their cash back. One of them is still owed for dealing with King's Day in 2024 and has because transferred to another nation, the UvA trainee states.

Ad Valvas has actually been in touch with ViaOns, however ViaOns has not yet answered our questions or provided a declaration. Should they still supply a response, it will be contributed to this post.