Jonathan Frederic De Santos

he Netherlands Dutch Labour Inspectorate investigates the case of Filipino and Indonesian workers allegedly exploited by a Dutch company. Photo with permission from The Dutch Labour Inspectorate website.

Article (news)

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753969956181arbo-in-bedrijf-2022-2023.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Dutch Labour Inspectorate investigates the case of Filipino and Indonesian workers allegedly exploited by a Dutch company. Photo with permission from The Dutch Labour Inspectorate website.</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands — The Dutch Labor Inspectorate is investigating a popular gym chain in Amsterdam, the Netherlands for alleged forced labor involving at least 23 cleaners, 11 of whom are Filipinos.</p><p>The cleaners first reported their working conditions — including alleged serious violations of Dutch labor laws — to the police, Fairwork, and the Labor Inspectorate.</p><p>They said that a supervisor took their passports; their salaries were paid in cash and that they were sometimes not paid.</p><p>The Inspectorate also stated on its website that several cleaners worked for a whole week straight for 12 hours a day, a condition that violates the Minimum Wage and Minimum Holiday Allowance Act (WML), and the Working Hours Act.</p><p>The Inspectorate said that the employees do not have work permits, therefore violating the country’s Foreign Nationals Employment Act.</p><p><strong></strong>Meanwhile, because of the inspection, the Public Prosecution Service arrested the accountant of the gym chain for possible forgery due to incomplete and/or falsified records and documents.</p><p>ABS-CBN News contacted Dylan Romeo, spokesperson for the Dutch Labour Inspectorate. Romeo said they do not comment on ongoing investigations and focus “primarily on monitoring compliance with labour laws.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/19/government-urged-to-push-for-fair-and-livable-wages-in-ph-1619"><strong>Government urged to push for fair and livable wages in PH to help prevent OFW abuse<br/></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PH EMBASSY COORDINATING WITH DUTCH AUTHORITIES</strong></div><p> In an e-mail, the Philippine Embassy in the Hague told ABS-CBN News &quot;it has has reached out to and is in communication with the Netherlands Labour Authority in its investigation on the harsh working conditions of Filipino and Indonesian cleaners at gym locations in Amsterdam.&quot;</p><p>It said the 11 Filipinos involved are not detained and are staying with friends.</p><p>“The Embassy is committed to ensuring the welfare and protection of the rights of Filipinos abroad and extends assistance to all overseas Filipinos regardless of status, including those involved in the said investigation,&quot; it also said. </p><p>According to NL Times and Het Parool, the gym chain involved in the alleged foreign workers abuse is the widely known Saints and Stars.</p><p>Het Parool, in its interviews with 11 workers, found evidence, including WhatsApp messages, photos, videos, audio recordings, and email correspondence with the Dutch Labor Inspectorate.</p><p>De Telegraaf reported that Saints &amp; Stars is suspending its cleaning department responsible for the alleged violation reports.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/17/dfa-ramps-up-rescue-efforts-for-over-100-filipino-victims-trapped-in-southeast-asian-scam-hubs-1504"><strong>DFA ramps up rescue efforts for over 100 Filipino victims trapped in Southeast Asian scam hubs<br/></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>GYM OWNER DENIES ALLEGATIONS, ACKNOWLEDGES MISTAKES POSSIBLE</strong></div><p>Founder and owner Tom Moos denies the allegations, saying, &quot;factual and legal inaccuracies were spread to the media.&quot;</p><p>The 31-year-old owner is the son of millionaire René Moos, co-founder/CEO of Basic-Fit, a major European gym chain with 1,400 locations.</p><p>European media mentioned that according to Moos, Saints &amp; Stars aims to &quot;to combat labor exploitation in the Netherlands.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We care about them,&quot; he added. &quot;We truly consider our cleaners of non-Dutch descent our family.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I have never, ever received any signal from anyone that exploitation was taking place. Never.”</p><p>However, the CEO admitted that &quot;it&#x27;s possible we made mistakes.&quot; He said he will &quot;take full responsibility,&quot; and will also rectify what is necessary.</p><p>The De Telegraaf report added that some Dutch celebrities refused to be associated with Saints &amp; Stars. A branch was also vandalized.</p><p>&quot;Our people are currently being spat upon, boycotted, and even threatened with death.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m sure the facts will come to light and the truth will prevail,&quot; Moos concluded.</p><p>Moos also claimed that The Inspectorate did not disclose to them the nature and scope of the investigation.</p><p>“There has been a lot of attention for this case in recent days. At this time, we are not making any further statements about the investigation in question, which means that we will not comment on this point either,” the Inspectorate&#x27;s spokesperson said.</p><p>NL Times said that a labor migrants welfare group began a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe and has raised over 20,000 euros to be distributed to the affected workers.</p>

<p>The Dutch Labor Inspectorate is investigating a popular gym chain in Amsterdam, the Netherlands for alleged forced labor involving at least 23 cleaners, 11 of whom are Filipinos.</p>

The Dutch Labor Inspectorate is investigating a popular gym chain in Amsterdam, the Netherlands for alleged forced labor involving at least 23 cleaners, 11 of whom are Filipinos.

Filipino workers allegedly abused at Amsterdam gym chain

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Filipino workers allegedly abused at Amsterdam gym chain

Angelica Cabahug

Published Jul 31, 2025 10:09 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 01, 2025 03:04 PM PHT

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Amsterdam

overseas Filipinos

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Migrant Workers

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