Amsterdam, July 2011
The tough decision to stop the rental contract and all other cooperation with Fenomeen has been taken because we, Vereniging Binnenpret, believe that Vereniging Fenomeen and her management have mismanaged the space for years. This mismanagement took place in all aspects relating to Vereniging Fenomeen. The Binnenpret made their best efforts to improve the situation and to make 'Vereniging Fenomeen' functional again. The Binnenpret held many meetings and even produced an extensive rapport* citing recommendations to help the Sauna to function again. However, despite these efforts, nothing was altered. After much time it eventually became clear to the Binnenpret that the situation was not improving and even worsening. At this time, December 2004, the Binnenpret assembly voted unanimously to stop all cooperation and to give notice thereby terminating the rental contract of Vereniging Fenomeen.
What lead to this decision:
Organisation
It turned out that Vereniging Fenomeen was incapable of running a functional organisation. The management generally consisted of the least number of members possible. Changes in the management alters were usually not reported to the Binnenpret causing confusion as to who was responsible and making communication extremely difficult.
Vereniging Binnenpret regularly asked questions to the management of association Fenomeen, these questions were either left unanswered or the “blame” was put upon to the “previous management”. Even if this was the case the “new” management would continue in the same manner as the “former” management.
The meetings of Vereniging Fenomeen were known for their fierce conflicts, sometimes breaking out into screaming and simple intimidation. It was not uncommon that the right to vote was taken away from employees that once or twice did not attend meetings, and it can be assumed that this may have been an attempt to shun or silence these employees asides from it being simply undemocratic. It happened several times that the management threatened to break up if members of Vereniging Fenomeen did not want to appoint certain individuals to the board, this is simple bully tactics and once again distinctly undemocratic.
Members who could not find themselves in accordance with the policies of the board ran a high risk of being suspended or categorised as “non active”. Due to the lack of conflict resolution and the working conditions being made unbearable for people who disagreed with management policy, people ended up being left unable to work, got suspended, were “put on non active” or fired. There was no discrimination made between volunteer or paid employment status.
In practice Fenomeen is an organisation that is ruled from the top down. Despite their toiling efforts as volunteers, the members of the association had little or no influence on the policies. Lots of members left or were pushed away because they did not agree with a management-pursued policy. The Binnenpret finds this behavior intolerable in any circumstance and especially in a free space such as the Binnenpret.
Financially
Fenomeen gave the Binnenpret no real insight into their financial situation. If they did it was only after frequent questioning by Vereniging Binnenpret and even then it was avoided at all costs. The information the Binnenpret had at its disposal was, due to this, by no means complete.
Moreover Fenomeen was regularly behind with its rent. Because all the rent in the Binnenpret is cost-covering, it means that when one group doesn't pay the full amount or on time the finances of the whole Binnenpret are negatively affected and the responsibility for one groups failings is shouldered by the rest. After a prolonged period of this Vereniging Binnenpret tired of the situation.
Conflictingly at the same time Fenomeen was complaining about their precarious financial situation, and asking the Binnenpret for financial support, yet claiming to be a financially healthy organisation. So many differing stories lead to the wildest rumors about the financial conduct of Fenomeen. These rumors had a bad effect on the Binnenpret as a whole.
In the past Fenomeen used to have an action pot. There was the possibility to request money for actions that were in conjunction with the objectives of the squatters- action movement. Because the people running and volunteering in the sauna became more and more disconnected from the action movement they found it difficult to find actions to support. Due to their connection with the new age healing and yoga movement they decided to support a good cause in India.
Contact with other members of the Binnenpret
The Binnenpret is an association that exists from 15 member groups that together manages the terrain that was formerly the old and monumental horse tram depot on the Amstelveenseweg, Eerste Schinkelstraat and the Schinkelhavenkade for self activity. This demands the bringing forward of initiatives and cooperation between the different groups, however for the past 10 years Vereniging Fenomeen have withdrawn themselves from this cooperation.
Since a long time Vereniging Fenomeen did not send a delegate to the monthly general assembly of Vereniging Binnenpret. Occasionally and coincidentally Vereniging Fenomeen members showed up to the assemblies, however these were always new committee members who were unaware of the situation, the running of their association and therefore unable to take any responsibility on behalf of Vereniging Fenomeen. After showing up once or twice, and disclosing a number of hearsay internal problems, disappeared again. This lead to numerous misunderstandings and damaging effects for the Binnenpret as a whole. It can be said that as Vereniging Fenomeen was not giving an active and constructive contribution, or even taking a consistent interest, it was thus ”hanging” onto and even harming the organisation of the entire Binnenpret.
Architectural Issues
As a renter of one of the spaces within the Binnenpret, Fenomeen had rights and duties. Fenomeen had most certainly stressed their rights, while at the same time they stepped away from their duties.
Fenomeen gave little or no information about renovations; while Vereniging Binnenpret is legally responsible for the building structure. There were demolitions made and constructions piled on top of previous constructions, resulting in severe construction defects. Supporting pillars were removed, causing serious structural instability.
The situation became dangerous on the issue of fire safety as well. Not just for the sauna itself, but as well for the outer neighbors and adjacent users of the Binnenpret. For their responsibility towards volunteers, customers, personnel, and neighbors the Binnenpret saw themselves in need of direct intervention.
Why does the Binnenpret not want to continue with Fenomeen?
All of the reasons stated above has led to the tough, yet obvious decision voted unanimously for at the general assembly to suspend and terminate the rental contract of Vereniging Fenomeen.
Vereniging Binnenpret is not planning to enter into negotiation with sauna Fenomeen again, because prior to the cancellation of the rental contract numerous attempts were made to establish a working relationship and on the part of Vereniging Fenomeen this never succeeded. In the past again and again beautiful promises were made, by several swiftly changing boards, to improve the cooperation, but those promises were never kept. In the before mentioned report different recommendations were made in goodwill, however they were sadly not adopted. After all of this Vereniging Binnenpret has absolute zero confidence in Vereniging Fenomeen. The Binnenpret finds it sad that the engagement with Fenomeen has to end like this, but we see no other way out.
On August the 1st, after 7 years of legal action, the rental contract from Vereniging Binnenpret and Fenomeen will be dissolved.
With kind regards,
Members and management of association Binnenpret
1e Schinkelstraat 14-16
1075 TX Amsterdam
www.binnenpret.org
[A Vereniging is an association]
*1 – The report was called “Sauna Fenoneem moet blijven”- “Sauna Fenoneem” has to stay.