Absent Union Representation, NYC Nail Salon Workers Are Organizing Themselves
A New York bill would give nail technicians a seat at the table to promote sector-wide workplace changes.
Maya Bhusal Basnet started her career as a nail technician in Manhattan in 2009, introduced to the industry through her friends in the Nepali community. Over the past decade, she has worked at six or seven salons, always forced to leave due to deplorable conditions. Her health has suffered from exposure to toxic chemicals, her wages have furtively been robbed and isolating work conditions have eaten away at her mental health. Basnet is not alone in these experiences.
