Migrante Netherlands expresses deep outrage at the decision of the Openbaar Ministerie (OM) concluding that there was no labor exploitation in the case of the 11 Filipino workers who were deceived, abused, and trafficked by the Amsterdam-based company Saints & Stars Gym.
How can this not be considered exploitation? These workers were deceived into traveling to the Netherlands under false promises of legal papers and decent work. Upon arrival, they were made to work up to 12 hours a day without proper breaks, and were forced to live in cramped, undignified conditions unfit for any worker. Many of them endured threats, fear, physical abuse, and humiliation, all while being denied the basic rights and dignity guaranteed under Dutch labor laws and international human rights standards.
Furthermore, the case of Saints & Stars is, in fact, a clear case of human trafficking. Under both Dutch and international law, human trafficking occurs when individuals are recruited, transported, and employed through deception or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. In this case, the Filipino workers were:
- Deceived into coming to the Netherlands with false promises of legal documents and fair wages;
- Controlled through fear of deportation, confiscation of their passports, lack of legal status, and dependency on their employer for housing and subsistence;
- Exploited through long working hours, non-payment or underpayment of wages, and degrading living conditions.
All these elements satisfy the definition of human trafficking as recognized by the Palermo Protocol and the Dutch Criminal Code (Article 273f). To deny that these workers were trafficked and exploited is to deny the reality of how modern slavery operates, especially among Filipino migrant workers whose vulnerability is systematically weaponized by employers.
To dismiss these experiences as not constituting labor exploitation and human trafficking is to ignore the lived realities of migrant workers, whose vulnerability is systematically taken advantage of by abusive employers and recruiters. It also sends a dangerous message that migrant workers, especially those from the Global South, can be subjected to long hours, false promises, and inhumane living conditions without accountability.
We urge the Openbaar Ministerie to reconsider its position and take into account the testimonies, evidence, and power dynamics involved in cases of trafficking and labor abuse. The Netherlands cannot claim to uphold justice and human rights while turning a blind eye to the exploitation of migrant workers within its borders.
We also demand that the Philippine government take immediate and concrete action to hold Saints & Stars accountable for its exploitative labor practices. It must provide protection, legal assistance, and full support to the affected workers, and ensure that justice is served for all Filipino migrants who continue to suffer under such abusive arrangements abroad.
We call on the Dutch public, labor unions, and human rights advocates to stand with us in demanding justice for the 11 Filipino workers and to urge the Dutch government to take decisive action against labor exploitation and human trafficking.
Migrant workers are not commodities. We are human beings who deserve dignity, respect, and justice.
Justice for the 11 Filipino workers!
Hold Saints & Stars accountable!
Stop labor exploitation and trafficking of migrants!
