Human Exploitation Question

Exploitation?! These are business owners that provide a service to paying customers. The owners of the salon I go to (and they work there as well, not just manage it) live in the most expensive neighborhood in town and drive a much nicer car than I could ever afford. Just because they are from a different country doesn't make patronizing their business charity or exploitation. I don't go there to "help" them out because they are Vietnamese, I go there to get my nails done because they are good at it, and good at running their business. Geez...

I don't understand. Why is it exploiting them? I pay a boatload to get my nails done (feet and fingers). It costs me as much for both of these together as it does JUST to cover my roots in color at my high end hair salon.

This makes no sense!

Dawn

Why would frequenting a business be exploitation? The shops in my area are well run, clean, charge a fair price and hire talented, friendly people who, as far as I can see, live pretty good middle class lives. Certain ethnic groups gravitate towards certain fields of work because others before them have established networks that make it easier to get training and find jobs. Where I live, many of the salons are run by Vietnamese women whose husbands have good businesses installing flooring. We have a lot of recent Irish emigree house painters and Brazilian roofers. Many ethnic groups in my area (Irish, Italian, Greek, Chinese) are only one or two generations removed from these sorts of ground floor industries and then as families stay here and the children are able to obtain higher educations, the younger generations diversify into a wider variety of fields and leave the family businesses behind. But I see nothing exploitative about frequenting a family-run local business.

Is there something sinister that you know of that you can share with us?

Umm....I do not understand why you think that is exploiting them? They probably own the shop and make money or else it wouldn't still be open. Where are you getting this?
L.

My mom is vietnamese & does nails I can tell you very honestly she is not by any means exploited far from it she works because she wants to not out of necessity my mom was a SAHM for many years raising my brother & I my dad retired after being in the service for 27 1/2 years then spent another 14 years working for the US Treasury Dept by dad is now fully retired & now stays home & gets to enjoy his time my mom works to get out of the house during the day to be w/friends and to meet people she makes great money, pays cash for trips whether she is visiting me & my family in Michigan or visiting my brother & his family in Austin, she spoils the grandkids and her & my dad take trips to visit family in France at least once a year and also take trips to Vegas she also bought herself a brand new car last year what my mom doesn't spend she gives to me, hubby & my kids and the same w/my brother at Christmas that doesn't include paying our way home for Christmas so we can all be together. My mom works hard, loves what she does at the same time she can do whatever she pleases. I can also tell you my mom's very best friend owns the shop where she works & she & her husband also vacation all over including overseas live in nice houses, have club memberships. If they are exploited I would love to be exploited in that way. : )

I'm not sure how I'm exploiting them if they're legally here and getting paid plus tips to do my my nails. I get my pedicures at a very successful spa that's owned and operated by a Vietnamese woman with a staff of Vietnamese workers. Most of them were born and raised here or have come here on a visa through family already here. We have an amazing stretch of road here called Buford Highway that is all Mexican, Latin American and Asian. The best restaurants around! I certainly don't think I'm exploiting them by eating at their establishments. The alternative if no one goes to these places? Businesses lost and people out of work! I'm sure there are some who hire illegals or naive and desperate new arrivals and don't pay fairly or something, but that's between them. If it came to light, those places would lose business, but the ones I see are employing lots of friends and family members.

There are very serious exploitation issues, surprisingly in this country too. HOWEVER: salon shops? Not the ones I go to. Where I go to get a pedicure every month (and occasional manicures), a Vietnamese lady owns it. Her husband does the maintenance, cleaning, and cash register. Their daughter and son both help. I like the son best for conversation, but I like the daughter best if my feet are tired because she does a better job. I know a lot about their business because we talk a lot and I'm there often. That's not exploitation. They are proud business owners, the kids are currently in college, and they travel several times a year. They've got it going on! And I'm not "helping" them either. I'm paying for a service because I wear sandals A LOT. This is not exploitation, but actually the American Dream. They came here for a better life, and they certainly have found that.

There is a large Vietnamese population in my area so I don't think anything about frequenting their businesses - my favorite restaurants are Vietnamese, my hair salon is owned and operated by a woman of Vietnamese descent, my local Chevron station is owned and operated by a Vietnamese family, and one of my co-workers is Vietnamese. How am I exploiting them by frequenting their businesses? These are members of my community who bring a heritage and tradition that enriches our culture.

Many of our first generation Vietnamese were Boat People - came over in mass, via unsafe and life threatening conditions, in the 70s to build a better life for their families. We now have third and fourth generation Vietnamese citizens - how is that exploitation?

I guess I don't understand your question - supporting anyone by being their customer is not exploitation - it is normal commerce. JMHO

The vietnamese nail shops in my area charge an average of $25 for a pedicure (plus I leave a $5 tip). They take about 1/2 hour with me. That's $1 a minute!! Other places in this area charge anywhere from $80 - $100 for the same service - (and some of them don't even do artwork!) speaking of exploiting people.....

My husband is Vietnamese. His family owns and operates several nail salons in South Florida. They work hard, they are not being exploited or exploiting their employees. They busted their asses to make a better life for themselves. All are licensed and received business loans in their own names based on credit they established. I'm curious as to why you think exploitation would even be an issue? If it is based solely on their ethnicity that is being very short-sighted. Please update.

I'm not sure why it is viewed as exploiting them.... They charge a fair cost for providing a service that people are willing to pay.

They are (in most states, anyway, as far as I know) required to have a cosmetology license and to post them. All of these businesses have sanitary regulations they must follow in regards to the foot baths and such. Just be sure when you go to one, you go to a reputable place of business.

I'm sure, as in the construction trade, that there are people that are here illegally.... there are steps a person is supposed to take when hiring people, as far as checking documentation, and what questions they can legally ask.

My mom goes to the best place. And they are the sweetest people...I dont see it as exploiting. They just know the ropes. Apparently well.

I used to get my nails done regularly. Went to the same shop. She was able to open another shop in the City just south of us..So the business is there.

If they were selling ''Massages'' then that would be exploitation. But they have a service....And supply goods. So until there is funny business..It is just that, Business.

I figure if they're there, they want customers! I wouldn't be helping them by NOT going in...

If someone opens a company, they want business... how is that exploiting them? Vietnamese or not, it doesn't matter.

Huh. My salon is owned by a wonderful Vietnamese couple who built their newest salon onto an addition onto their home. It's a full service salon. They're intensely proud people who do high quality work and they're artisans who employ highly talented people to work in their salon. They have one of the best reputations in their area and people travel from out of state while visiting family and running errands to use their services.

We have children the same age that play together. We talk about our families and have been known to help each other out on occasion. They've seen me through every major occasion of my life for the past 14 years, and I've seen them through the same. I tip them well and when they ask me for help for something to do apart from their business I'm glad to help them (their English isn't always so good).

They make excellent money. In fact, they frequently attend seminars and classes to maintain their craft. They maintain modern, updated, sterile equipment and products. They have excellent ventilation. They pay their staff well. They maintain a nice home and nice cars. They go on regular vacations to Disney World and Vietnam. They're happy and take a lot of pride in what they do. I'm happy to compliment on their work because it amazes me how easy they make it look, and how beautiful their work is.

And I've never had better hygiene on my hands than when I have my manicures. If I didn't go to them, they'd be out of money and I'd have bloody stumps for fingers. It's a win-win situation.

In New York State, technicians in beauty salons, nail salons and the like are required to be licensed and the education requirements are pretty stringent. The technicians are women AND men who well-groomed, polite, and darn good at what they do! I tip 20%. No exploitation there!

It would be cruel to boycott their businesses. They own these nail shops, and would go out of business without customers. I really don't understand how this could be viewed as exploitation.

I get my pedicures done at a salon owned by a Vietnamese couple - they own and run the salon themselves and do not have any employees working under them. They do a great job and close the shop for a month every year to make a trip back to Vietnam. Where is the exploitation in that? It's not like some sweat shop that uses child labor or is violating other labor laws.

The only places like that that I've ever been to are owned by the people working there, so they have set their own prices. So I don't see why you wouldn't go there. In my mind, it's good business practice on their part. They provide quality services at a low cost, which will encourage people to brag about the great service they got and for how cheap which will draw in more customers.

Why would going to a nail salon and spending money exploit someone? Are you saying that because a nail salon is owned and staffed by immigrants, they must be exploited? If so... I don't get it.

Seriously? I had a teacher who went to Asia in High School and she saw the rickshaw drivers and she kept refusing them because she felt it was exploitative. Ok, I get that. But then she didn't give them any money either. If you personally feel that the work or pay itself is below them then why not go use their services and give them a really big tip or just go in there and give them some money yourself and then go to an English speaking salon where they charge double or triple (which may or may not trickle down to the worker herself) and feel better about yourself. I apologize if this question is for a friend and not yourself.
The only way this would be exploitative is if these people were here against their will as endentured servants. If you have concerns that they are being mistreated then I would bring it up to the police.

I wouldn't do it. Not only is there the humanity involved.. which is horrible enough. People can and do end up with really nasty fungal infections.

What? Would you say the same about Asian run donut shops? Because those are awesome. How are they being exploited, really? They are legitimate businesses that obey very strict laws in order to remain in business. I'm a hairstylist, nail artists go to school, have annual educational requirements and get paid to work...

I personally don't get my nails done.But I don't see a problem in supporting a reputable business whether they are vienamese or ANY other race. If the company is good to employees and the people are good at what they do, I don't have any issue with it. I don't see where the exploitation is coming from??

maybe they should set up a union, lol

i don't believe people that get their nails done go there to help them or exploit them.....it's a service

I don't go because I don't trust them to be hygienic. Nothing personal but if something is cheap they may cut corners. Also I like to be able to communicate with the person. I see an English speaking woman about 4 times a year and pay $55 for a pedicure.

Interesting link...http://beautyschooledproject.com/2010/07/29/whats-going-o...