Timeline of the Fight at Simply Nails
1989 March
Susan Kim begins working at Nail Plaza. While working there,
Susan endures sweatshop
conditions such as long hours exposed to toxic chemicals, no break
time, and poor air quality,
and complains on numerous occasions about the long workday.
2005 March
Susan Kim complains to her employer, Dong Rim Park, about
the amount of work hours and
lack of break time, and she demands break time. The next day,
the employer orders Susan to
leave in retaliation for her complaints.
2005 April
Susan Kim comes to CSWA with Vietnamese and Chinese coworkers
to discuss the retaliatory
firing. Her coworkers had also complained to Park about sweatshop
conditions.
2005 October
The workers file lawsuit in federal court.
2006 October
The boss, Dong Rim Park, spills scalding hot water on herself
and calls the police, falsely
accusing the Vietnamese worker in the lawsuit. The worker is arrested
and later the case is
dismissed in court.
Workers hold press conference and picket at Nail Plaza, launching
weekly pickets in front of the
salon for the next year. NYC elected officials, students, and
Upper West Side community
members and residents come out to join the picket line in support.
2007 January
Owner Mou San Rim fraudulently transfers two Lower Manhattan condominiums
worth millions
of dollars to his son, Sokho Lim, for $10.
2007 Spring
One of Susan Kim's lawyers, Steven Choi, repeatedly tells Susan
and her co-workers that they
have no retaliation case, and tries to force them to accept very
little during pre-trial mediation.
The workers insist they should be compensated for the retaliation,
and the case goes to trial.
2007 October
Up to the first day of the trial, Steven Choi continues to push
Susan that she has no retaliation
case and should accept very little from the boss. Susan refuses
and goes above him to talk to
other lawyers on the case, demanding that the case be heard in
trial. But her co-workers fall
under pressure. The Vietnamese co-worker accepts around $35,000
and the Chinese co-worker
accepts as little as $3,000 which they later regret.
Jury decides unanimously against Nail Plaza owners to compensate
Susan Kim for roughly
$189,000. Workers hold press conference and rally in front of
Nail Plaza to announce court
victory.
2008 September
After a whole year of waiting, Susan's lawyer, Steven Choi, refuses
to go to court to enforce the
order and to ask for reinstatement. Susan Kim fires her lawyer,
Steven Choi.
2009 January
The judge enters the final judgment, which includes attorney's
fees and interest. The new total is
about $366,000
2009 March
International Women's Day Demonstration and Press Conference is
held. Women workers from
different trades come together to protest sweatshops and unhealthy
working conditions, and to
demand that bosses like Dong Rim Park and Mou San Rim comply with
the judgment.
The defendants, Dong Rim Park and Mou San Rim, who still own
the nail salon under a new
name, fearing the public outcry and exposure of their gimmick,
approach Susan's lawyer, Barry
Kamar, to make a substantial offer to settle the case if Susan
and supporters stop the picket.
Susan accepts the offer. But at the last minute, the defendants
refuse to pay.
2009 April
Susan Kim's lawyer, Barry Kamar, along with Ken Kimerling from
AALDEF files a complaint
on Rim's fraudulent transfer of assets.
The struggle continues.
