The fine that the municipality of Tilburg and NedTrain have to pay because they let the unemployed work unprotected with Chromium-6 should not go to the state treasury, but to the victims. That is what personal injury lawyer Rob Bedaux thinks. Between 2004 and 2012, Tilburg forced eight hundred unemployed people to work in the NedTrain workshop. Some became ill or died.
“People no longer trust the government. If Tilburg and NedTrain pay their fine to the state treasury, it feels like pocket-jacket and that’s not good,” explains Rob Bedaux.
He assists a large group of chromium-6 victims, some of whom are still waiting for compensation. In a letter to the Ministry of Justice, Bedaux asked that the money be transferred to the victims.
“Everyone should get 5,000 euros.”
‘An independent committee already concluded in 2019 that the municipality of Tilburg and NedTrain are responsible for the suffering of hundreds of unemployed people. Some of them suffered serious health damage as a result.
The municipality of Tilburg apologized and the city council decided to pay victims 7000 euros in compensation. Now he also wants to divide the fine of 500,000 euros. “Everyone should receive 5,000 euros,” says the lawyer.
Fons Tannenbaum is one of the eight hundred victims. After work with chromium-6 he developed heart problems, broken lungs and traumas. “It is strange that the money goes to the State when we are the victims, who have been forced to work there,” he says.
“Victims want to turn this page and get on with their lives.”
Although he previously received compensation, he thinks 5000 euros on top is not enough. “People have become ill and died. You cannot express that in money. It all takes far too long. Victims want to turn this page and move on with their lives,” says Fons.
The municipality of Tilburg has also sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice. The municipality wants the money to go to a yet to be determined group of Tilburgers, or to a fund such as Victim Support.
“The money can be used for further research into the consequences for people who have worked with chromium-6. Or a local fund for victims,” writes the municipality of Tilburg.
