Eleven Filipinos file complaint vs Amsterdam gym

Eleven Filipinos working as cleaners in a fitness gym have filed a complaint against Saints and Stars in Amsterdam over alleged harsh working conditions, the Philippine Embassy in The Hague confirmed Sunday.

The Embassy said the Filipinos, along with Indonesian co-workers, lodged a complaint with the Netherlands Labour Authority claiming they were forced to work up to 17 hours daily at the gym’s branches from May to June 2025 and were made to sleep on the premises without beds or heating.

It added that assurances were given by Embassy officials during a meeting last Friday, 8 August, with six of the 11 workers, joined by advocacy groups including Migrante Netherlands, Pinay sa Holland, and the Defend Migrants and Refugees Campaign.

On 24 July, Dutch authorities arrested the gym’s accountant for suspected document forgery. The Embassy also confirmed Saints and Stars is not accredited with the Migrant Workers Office in Berlin or the Department of Migrant Workers.

The Embassy assured that the Filipinos are in safe condition and remain in contact with its assistance-to-nationals team.

“Due to privacy regulations, the names of the Filipinos cannot be disclosed at this time,” it said.

DAILY TRIBUNE has sought the DMW’s comment but has yet to receive a response as of press time.