Irish employment agency again accused of exploiting workers

The FNV trade union federation has urged the transport ministry to stop using contractors and employment agencies which are exploiting their workers and breaking labour laws.

The call follows claims made in television show Zembla that an Irish company, which was slammed for ripping off workers building the A2 tunnel in Maastricht, is still working on Dutch infrastructure projects.

Zembla said the company, Atlanco Rimec, is involved in supplying contract labourers for a project in Nijmegen run by building firm Dura Vermeer.

As in Maastricht, Portuguese workers are being charged almost €1,000 a month for accommodation and transport, leaving them with below the minimum wage. They are also working up to 60 hours a week, pay slips in the hands of Zembla researchers show.

In a reaction to the claims, Nijmegen council and Dura Vermeer said the contract with Atlanco Rimec had been cancelled because the company had failed to respond to questions.

Minister

Since April, the Nijmegen contractors have been working with another company named Oradeo. However, union sources told Zembla this is Rimec operating under another name. Dura Vermeer said its research shows this is not the case.

Atlanco Rimec has been involved in more than 50 construction projects in the Netherlands over the past seven years

Labour MP John Kerstens has asked social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher to outline what the government is doing to ensure that its projects do not involve exploitation.

More on this