Odense firm reported to police: Ukrainian employees forced to repay wages in cash
Odense Municipality has terminated a million-krone contract with the firm Søbjerggaard and reported the owner to Fyns Police for pressuring Ukrainian employees to repay wages.
Firm loses million-krone contract following suspicion of wage pressure against Ukrainians
Odense Municipality has with immediate effect terminated a contract worth five million kroner per year with the firm Søbjerggaard and has reported the owner John Erik Boerskov to Fyns Police. This is reported by TV 2 Nyheder. The municipality believes that Boerskov threatened his Ukrainian employees to repay part of their already-paid wages in cash.
Ukrainian Yan Berdnikov has worked for Søbjerggaard for eighteen months. He recounts that in March he was called to a meeting where the owner, according to him and Odense Municipality, instructed the employees to repay money – under threat of dismissal.
– His wife said that if anyone did not have enough money to pay, then they would have to fire someone, says Yan Berdnikov.
In total, Boerskov allegedly demanded 40,000 kroner back from the Ukrainian employees. Although they were dissatisfied, they all eventually paid.
– All my colleagues were furious, but also very afraid of losing their jobs. That is why it ended with everyone paying the money back, says Yan Berdnikov.
When he placed his amount in an envelope in a garage, he filmed it with his mobile phone. Subsequently, the municipality's inspection unit has questioned a number of employees who confirm the sequence of events.
Fine and back pay preceded the repayment demand
The background to the case is that Boerskov had previously received a fine because, according to Odense Municipality, he had not paid employees a collective agreement-like wage and thus had not complied with the municipality's labour clauses. He was simultaneously required to pay back the missing wages to the employees – which he initially did. However, the municipality believes that he subsequently demanded the money back again.
Odense's mayor Peter Rahbæk Juel (S) describes the matter as a serious breach.
– In formal terms it is illegal, and that is indeed what prompted the contract to be torn up, he says.
The mayor adds that he hopes no one speculated that this involved a group with limited knowledge of the Danish labour market.
– Regardless of who is exploited and abused in this situation, it is deplorable, says Rahbæk Juel.
Defective brakes and tractors that should have been scrapped
Wage pressure is not the only complaint from the Ukrainian employees. Yan Berdnikov also describes the work equipment as worn out and directly dangerous.
– All the tractors we have are in very poor condition. They should have been scrapped long ago. On two tractors the brakes do not work, and in one situation I hit another car – though not hard – because the brakes did not work, he says.
According to Berdnikov, employees were also held personally responsible when the tractors broke down.
– "It is your fault, you have to pay for it." And that means that the hours I cannot work due to defective equipment are calculated as hours I owe them, he recounts and adds that Boerskov constantly shouts and blames employees for all problems.
Contract terminated 22 May
Søbjerggaard, which is based in Seden, has since 2024 carried out tasks including snow clearance, salting and street maintenance on 11 selected routes in Odense. For the snow clearance work the firm employed amongst others around 12 Ukrainians.
On 22 May Boerskov received written notice of the contract's immediate termination. In the letter to the owner, the municipality writes:
– The above matters reflect a very serious breach of the labour clause, which entitles Odense Municipality to immediate termination of the contracts.
Mayor Rahbæk Juel emphasises that it is now up to the police to determine the further course of action.
– We believe that unlawful acts have occurred, and we have terminated the contract. So it is up to the police to assess what specifically needs to be followed up, he says.
Owner denies parts of the criticism
TV 2 Fyn has spoken with John Erik Boerskov, who does not wish to comment on the allegations of wage pressure. He has instructed his solicitor to negotiate with Odense Municipality.
However, he denies that defective equipment has led to wage deductions for employees.
– That is complete nonsense. All employees receive pay for 37 hours per week all year round, regardless of whether they work or not. But we have an agreement that we can deduct up to 45 hours in the summer, says Boerskov.
Source: TV 2 Nyheder