South Asian Network Scores a victory for former Ziba Beauty Center employee's

From http://www.southasiannetwork.org/Alerts.htm

BIG VICTORY for ZibA Workers!!!
BEAUTY CENTER ADMITS THAT THE “ARTS OF THREADING” AND “HENNA APPLICATION” ARE NOT TRADE SECRETS & “NON COMPETE” CLAUSES WILL NOT BE ENFORCED


“Ziba 5”, L to R: Bishnu, Payal, Jyoti, Indira & Uma

On February 25, 2008 Ziba Beauty Center workers claimed a huge victory when the center’s representative stated that Ziba will not enforce harsh non-compete provisions in its 2005 and 2008 employee contracts. Furthermore, Ziba Beauty Center acknowledged that the arts of applying Henna and Threading are NOT propriety trade secrets. Ziba admits that these arts are cultural traditions that have existed in our communities for hundreds of years – LONG before Ziba existed.

In January 2008, five courageous Ziba workers were fired for refusing to sign an employment contract that contained unacceptable non-compete and trade secret provisions. On January 15th, 2008 the “Ziba 5”, South Asian Network (SAN) and the community protested in front of Ziba Beauty Center demanding an end to severe harassment by Ziba management and bad working conditions. Among their top demands was the elimination of contract provisions that attempted to stop them from working at other salons or opening their own business after leaving Ziba. With the help of Deborah Drooz Esq., Attorney at Law with the law firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, workers who leave Ziba have the right to work for others or in their own Henna and Threading businesses.

ZIBA is one of Los Angeles’s largest corporate beauty salons which specializes in mehndi (henna) and threading.



After 2 months of challenging Ziba’s de-humanizing practices, Ziba Beauty Center has agreed to the following:

o Ziba will completely throw out its 2008 contract.
o Ziba agrees it has no “propriety trade secrets” in the traditional arts of threading and henna.
o Workers are free to use their threading and henna skills anywhere.
o Former Ziba workers can work for any competitor and/or open up their own salon anywhere.
o The “Ziba 5” can file for unemployment without Ziba challenging their applications.
o Ziba will stop all involuntary transfers once a worker has been with Ziba for 1 year.
o Ziba will not retaliate against workers who are organizing and standing up for their rights.

“Ziba 5”,
FREE FROM SHACKLES!
Of the 5 women,
4 open “WOW Beauty Center”
in Culver City, California

After weeks of intense battle with the management of Ziba Beauty Center and determined to exercise their rights to work freely anywhere, four of the five women, Bishnu Shahani, Payal Modi, Uma Thapa and Indira Carreon worked together to open their own beauty salon, “WOW Beauty Center” located at 10836 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, 90232.

Wow Beauty Center opened its doors to the public officially on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008. All four women provide facials, threading, waxing, body massage and other services for their customers. To visit their salon and support their work, call Wow Beauty Center directly at 310-559-1900.

When asked about their victories, Uma enthusiastically states that “it is a victory for everyone, for all workers at Ziba. This shows us, when we stand together, we can do anything. It is a lesson for the owners that when workers come together and fight for their rights, they will win!” Jyoti Parmar, who decided to work in another beauty center remarks that she is very happy because “we are finally free to work anywhere we want to!”

South Asian Network asks the community to support these women in their fight to be self determined and work under conditions that promote dignity and respect for all workers. To find out more information about SAN’s work with worker rights issues and the “Ziba 5”, contact us at 562-403-0488 or visit our office at 18173 South Pioneer Blvd., Suite I, Artesia, CA 90701.