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Hotel Landgoed Overste Hof Refuses to Pay Workers

Hotel Landgoed Overste Hof has stolen wages from E. M. P., leaving them with no money and no answer. After two shifts and unreasonable work expectations, management decided to fire this worker. They also decided that the work E. M. P. did for these two shifts was not worth payment. E. repeatedly contacted management about the money they owe her. After two months of trying to get an answer, E. joined our network to fight together.

The director of the hotel, Bart Stavasius, finally responded. He refuses to pay the owed amount and even claims that E. owes him money for supposedly walking out on the job. The extensive screenshots of correspondence and documentation that E. kept as proof show a very different story. We at Horeca United are used to employers that become aggressive towards ex employees, and who threaten with retaliation. This is why support between workers is essential.

Even worse, we have been contacted by yet another worker who has not been paid for some of their work days. They were also underpaid, since they were promised 17 euros an hour but received less than 13 per hour. This person worked for a whole month with no contract. The hotel has also completely ignored the messages and calls of this worker, and has severely underpaid them. We now see that this could be a bigger pattern with this hotel. We are urging all ex employees who may have been left unpaid or mistreated by this hotel to contact us. This is the moment to demand what is yours.

Started from the bottom, now we’re…here? The Entrepreneurship myth

The director of the hotel has been featured in local newspapers with the usual rags to riches story that business owners love selling to the public (think back to cases of ours such as this…Doorbraak.eu). This hotelier is also busy with new hotel projects, and is being celebrated as yet another entrepreneur who can bring prosperity and jobs to the area. As always, business activity is celebrated more than the work that makes these businesses possible. Entrepreneurship has become another word for throwing workers under the bus after using them for free labor, it seems.

This hotel claims to be a ‘dream location’ for guests. Apparently, this dream includes mistreating workers and stealing their wages. Surely the guests of this hotel do not expect their vacation to be enjoyed on the backs of workers, invisible behind the luxurious setting.

“…I think they already had decided not to pay me by that time.”

Exploiting new workers with unpaid trial shifts and no paperwork seems to have become the norm for many Horeca businesses. To make things worse, hospitality work is generally considered unskilled labor by the government and the general public. It is a workforce of mostly non-Dutch, young, or financially vulnerable workers who are treated as expendable. The abuses that happen in the sector are treated almost like a rite of passage – a necessary evil that you will suffer before you find “a real job”. In the meantime, just smile and keep working.

As a solidarity network by and for hospitality workers, Horeca United fights to establish a culture of self respect, self-emancipation, and solidarity between workers. We do not ask for fair treatment – we demand it.

We have interviewed the worker about their situation, and why they have chosen to fight back. Workers can and must speak for themselves, directly and without representatives. This is the story of our colleague:

Can you briefly introduce yourself?

I’m E.M P.  I’m  a now a Dutch citizen and I’m 57 years old. I came to the Netherlands in 2008 from Finland and I have made the effort to learn the language and  adjusted to the way of living. I’m married to a Dutch man, and together we have  5 children.

How long did you work for the hotel?

I worked for the hotel for two days: one was a trial day to experience the work and get to know everything, and the other was the starting day.

What did you think of the work?

I thought the job was ok, but I saw they had no elevator, so employees had to carry everything up and down stairs.  They also didn’t have enough personnel. The colleague who showed me the work was nice and helpful.

What were the problems you faced at this job?

The management didn’t give me a tour through the hotel  or explain the employee breaks or the uniform. They didn’t have enough people that day. At 2 o’clock after already being at work since 10 am the manager gave us a big list of rooms and expected two people to clean and have the rooms ready one hour before clients arrived. I voiced my concern that it wasn’t possible to finish 15 rooms in an hour and, that made her very mad.
The contract wasn’t signed because it didn’t include transportation, so they promised we would do that as soon as I got there on Sunday 24th of August but it never happened.
They also never paid me  for those 10 hours or for my transport, and  when I contacted them asking about my payment they kept asking for details via Indeed but didn’t follow through.  I think they already had decided not to pay me by that time.

What do you want to change about this situation? 

I would have liked a more professional introduction to the work, with the contract signed and everything in order. I want to be paid for the time and effort I put in for this hotel.

What effect did this work situation have on your personal life?

It caused me great anxiety, stress, and disappointment. I’m unable to find a new job because  I’m feeling discouraged and scared that  this  could happen again. It affected me financially since I use the money to care for my family and I didn’t  choose other job opportunities that maybe wouldn’t have me in this situation.

I’ve never had issues like this with other companies, and now I feel I can’t trust employers anymore—it’s changed my view on finding jobs in the Netherlands, as I’m not willing to risk my time and energy without payment.

How does it feel to organize your own campaign as a worker?

Organising this campaign makes me feel empowered and hopeful. I’m thankful to Horeca United for helping me with this case.

How can the readers of this article support you?

Readers can support me by learning from my experience and making sure they don’t allow anyone to play with their time or effort. Make sure you sign contracts before starting to work and fight for your rights always.

If you could say one thing to the hotel, what would it be?

I express my deep disappointment and concern regarding the unprofessional and unethical treatment I experienced as an employee at your establishment. It is unacceptable to treat employees as disposable and to withhold payment for work performed. Denying me compensation for the 10 hours I worked is not only unfair but constitutes wage theft, which is both morally and legally wrong.
As someone who approached this role with trust and a commitment to contribute to your team, I am appalled by this conduct. While the amount owed may seem minor, it represents my time, effort, and dignity. I demand the payment I am rightfully owed for the hours I worked. Furthermore, I intend to report this matter to the appropriate authorities to ensure that such practices are addressed and not repeated.
I urge you to reflect on the values your business upholds and to rectify this situation immediately. Treating employees with respect and fairness is not only a legal obligation but a fundamental principle of ethical business practice.