The Price of Nice Nails

Well worth reading: the first of a series of articles examining the working conditions and potential health risks endured by nail salon workers.

http://nyti.ms/1AHoYo6

"The New York Times interviewed more than 150 nail salon workers and owners, in four languages, and found that a vast majority of workers are paid below minimum wage; sometimes they are not even paid. Workers endure all manner of humiliation, including having their tips docked as punishment for minor transgressions, constant video monitoring by owners, even physical abuse. Employers are rarely punished for labor and other violations."

That is why I always give a nice tip directly to the individual. 

I just read that and it made me really sad. I've been going to a specific woman at a hair salon/spa recently and my hope is that because it's not a factory type place, she's making more of a fair wage. 

Wow..I had no idea.  I suspect the salon I go to (in SOMA) is one of these type of places.  I think the owner drives the workers in every morning.  And there is one woman who is obviously "in training"...she does all the crap jobs in the shop.

NJ State law requires that the people who touch any part of your body - I( those who do your nails in nail salons, hair salons , massage places) have a NJ cosmetology license. Those licenses require about a year of expensive schooling and the completion of a written and practical exam.   I seriously doubt that any of these workers could possibly be licenses.  Some can barely speak English.  One told me she had arrived in this country 2 months before.  I also suspect that they are undocumented a well.

Also, if you use a cleaning crew to clean your home, and there is a woman in charge who drive the others there, it is likely that while you may be paying $100 to get your house cleaned, the woman doing the work is probably getting $20.  

sarahzm said:

NJ State law requires that the people who touch any part of your body - I( those who do your nails in nail salons, hair salons , massage places) have a NJ cosmetology license. Those licenses require about a year of expensive schooling and the completion of a written and practical exam.   I seriously doubt that any of these workers could possibly be licenses.  Some can barely speak English.  One told me she had arrived in this country 2 months before.  I also suspect that they are undocumented a well.

Also, if you use a cleaning crew to clean your home, and there is a woman in charge who drive the others there, it is likely that while you may be paying $100 to get your house cleaned, the woman doing the work is probably getting $20.  

 I thought the same thing about the licenses. But if you look closely, sometimes they look like copies  - maybe not legit?

From what I've heard (and this was years ago in the 1990s)...some salons get around the license issue by "sharing" a license.  At least one person in the salon gets the license and that is what is used to make the salon a legitimate business.  On the rare occasion when the state comes in to do an inspection...the owner can trot out the licensee to represent the business.  And the licensee is a highly coveted person in the industry...probably one of the "big job" people mentioned in the article.  I would suspect most owners have a license...that's probably how you get ahead and go from being a manicurist to an owner.

sarahzm said:

NJ State law requires that the people who touch any part of your body - I( those who do your nails in nail salons, hair salons , massage places) have a NJ cosmetology license. Those licenses require about a year of expensive schooling and the completion of a written and practical exam.   I seriously doubt that any of these workers could possibly be licenses.  Some can barely speak English.  One told me she had arrived in this country 2 months before.  I also suspect that they are undocumented a well.

In small towns like SOMA and others, wouldn't the business bureaux be on top of licensing? Especially since the pervasiveness of nail salons seems to be an issue?

I doubt it.  There is probably a check when a business first opens and maybe when its time for a license renewal.  But otherwise, they probably only get involved when there has been a complaint.

Hahaha said:

In small towns like SOMA and others, wouldn't the business bureaux be on top of licensing? Especially since the pervasiveness of nail salons seems to be an issue?

Licensing is not the issue. It's enforcement of wage and hour laws, which has nothing to do with licensing. Giving a particular salon or manicurist a license does nothing to ensure that in the future the labor laws are followed.

Enforcement is a real problem because the industry consists of thousands of scattered, independent businesses who employ primarily undocumented, non-English speaking workers who are overwhelmingly fearful of going to the government for redress. Text book exploitation.

I have gotten a pedicure only once in my life when I was really pregnant and couldn't see my feet. I felt uncomfortable the whole time.Now knowing that the women who get relegated to the pedicures are basically on the lowest rung of the ladder has made me sure that I probably won't ever get a pedicure again.

I can't justify the expense of going to the nail salon--I can count the number of times I've gone on one hand--but it's terrible that most of the people who work there aren't even getting most of what I consider too much money anyway. I am wondering if there is a way to find out how the SOMA nail salons fare....though I know there are so many industries with these kinds of issues, not jut nail salons...

And sadly, "service" jobs are the way of the future.

3 Ways to be a Better Customer: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/08/nyregion/3-ways-to-be-a-socially-conscious-nail-salon-customer.html

I was just about to post the same article. I'm appalled. Any ideas as to which of the local salons might actually be above board? The second article about getting nails done in a "socially conscious way" suggests things like asking someone at the salon how much they are paid. Can you really do that? Beyond the rudeness factor, if the owners are as watchful as the article suggests then their employees would either lie about it or face being fired (or worse). It also suggests going to more expensive salons...but then states that even the ones on Madsion Avenue and the UES are underpaying. 

I love getting pedicures. I go to Kim's in West Orange and know many of the women and men who work there, some of whom also live there and are bringing up their children there. 

I know someone who works in a salon, and she asked the owner to pay taxes on her wages.  Flatly refused to do so.

.

This shouldn't be news to anyone. Just some of the the details came into focus.

I am curious what the nail places in town pay their employees?

That second article seems to raise the question, but not really answer it satisfactorily.  

A far greater price paid by workers...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/nyregion/nail-salon-workers-in-nyc-face-hazardous-chemicals.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

What about someone who is good around here going on her own doing mani/pedis at someone's home? I would totally be wiling to pay $40 for a mani/pedi for someone to come and do it. I think it may take a little while to get some regular customers, but at least they would pocket the entire payment, and I would feel more comfortable using my own tools/polishes. 

Would home visits remove the cancer, etc?

mtierney said:

Would home visits remove the cancer, etc?

 I think the cancer is from doing the gel nails and stuff like that. I don't think that doing regular mani/pedis should be that dangerous. But I don't really know. 

Hahaha said:

sarahzm said:

NJ State law requires that the people who touch any part of your body - I( those who do your nails in nail salons, hair salons , massage places) have a NJ cosmetology license. Those licenses require about a year of expensive schooling and the completion of a written and practical exam.   I seriously doubt that any of these workers could possibly be licenses.  Some can barely speak English.  One told me she had arrived in this country 2 months before.  I also suspect that they are undocumented a well.

Also, if you use a cleaning crew to clean your home, and there is a woman in charge who drive the others there, it is likely that while you may be paying $100 to get your house cleaned, the woman doing the work is probably getting $20.  

 I thought the same thing about the licenses. But if you look closely, sometimes they look like copies  - maybe not legit?

My friend is a hairstylist and it took her 4 years to get her license, but I guess its' different than doing nails. I know that in the salon that my friend works at, all the stylists, those who work on nails etc. must have there license hung up where people can see them. I know that at Moods, all the stylists have their licenses hung up at their own stations.

@marylago,  I go to Kim's too and love one of the spanish women there who has a child/children at Hazel Ave school any chance you know her name?  can you pm it too me.  I want to make an appointment.  I hope Kim's is an above board place, but I'm not sure....

I have had a feeling that the Asian workers are higher on the totem pole than the Hispanic ones, but no proof.

pmartinezv said:

mtierney said:

Would home visits remove the cancer, etc?

 I think the cancer is from doing the gel nails and stuff like that. I don't think that doing regular mani/pedis should be that dangerous. But I don't really know. 

According to the article, here are many different health problems these women are experiencing, including one whose fingerprints have been eroded away by solvents, and others who have dark skin discoloration on their faces from something in bright red polishes. Cancer is far and away the worst of the issues, and I suspect you are right that it's something in the most chemically complex processes, but I hate the idea of anyone getting sick in any way from what is essentially a vanity service.

PeggyC said:

pmartinezv said:

mtierney said:

Would home visits remove the cancer, etc?

 I think the cancer is from doing the gel nails and stuff like that. I don't think that doing regular mani/pedis should be that dangerous. But I don't really know. 

According to the article, here are many different health problems these women are experiencing, including one whose fingerprints have been eroded away by solvents, and others who have dark skin discoloration on their faces from something in bright red polishes. Cancer is far and away the worst of the issues, and I suspect you are right that it's something in the most chemically complex processes, but I hate the idea of anyone getting sick in any way from what is essentially a vanity service.

I certainly agree. But the same could be said for hair stylist, and even construction related workers like painters and carpenters, no?

Assuming there is evidence the work they do for us is making them very, very sick. And I don't have any idea whether that's the case. In any case, painters and carpenters provide more necessary services that nail salons do. IMO.

Let's not start judging people for choosing to get a pedicure. 

Essential or not, it's a service many of us use, and anyone on this thread is concerned about the welfare of those doing the service. 

There was one woman at Kim's in WO next toCVS I liked a lot, Rocio. But when I didn't have her, or when the owner did my manicure, I wasn't happy. 

I'm very disturbed about this whole thing.