Like so many different small enterprise homeowners whose doorways stay closed as a result of present COVID-19 state of emergency in Ontario, Vince Dingwall will not be solely fearful over lack of earnings, but in addition at what many are calling an unfair set of lockdown guidelines.
“The dentists are open…however the issue I’ve obtained is, we (tattoo artists) are much less near an individual than what a dentist is,” stated Dingwall, English Wizard Tattoo Studio proprietor/operator {and professional} tattoo artist (popularly often called ‘Dinga’).
Dingwall instructed us he and a buyer would usually each put on masks at his studio if he had been allowed to open, whereas a dentist would put on a masks whereas a affected person (naturally) wouldn’t, which has Dingwall questioning ‘why can’t I open my enterprise?’
“We observe the identical guidelines, well being laws, stipulations, blood recordsdata and all the pieces else the identical as a dentist. We’re appointment solely, we’re one on one.”
“This must get sorted out,” Dingwall stated, sharing emotions expressed by others in calling for a degree taking part in area through the lockdown.
“I’m driving previous kindergarten lessons with 5 12 months previous youngsters operating round taking part in with one another, hugging one another. How will you set one rule for one and one rule for one more? You’ve obtained lots of people in Walmart standing speaking to one another and you’ll’t tattoo somebody or do somebody’s hair?”
To those that would query the similarity between dentists (together with different well being professionals) and tattoo artists, Dingwall replied “I’d say we’re beauty artwork surgeons. On the finish of the day you might be marking the pores and skin.”
Whereas not figuring out himself as an official spokesperson for any group, Dingwall stated “I’m preventing for all tattoo artists, hair stylists, nail technicians and physique piercers. I observe the identical well being laws (as dentists, he emphasised)…if I put somebody down in a chair in my studio and put a tattoo on his arm or leg, there’s no distinction to getting your enamel pulled.”
“It’s getting robust for small companies (as a result of lockdown). A few of them aren’t going to finish up making it. They’re dropping method an excessive amount of cash now,” stated Gerry Giordano, Hollywood Magnificence Salon Provide & Tanning proprietor/operator (situated in Cambrian Mall).
“I’ve obtained a sense we’re going to see some companies shut. Proper now a number of the huge shops are doing nicely however the small man is the one which’s the spine of Sault Ste. Marie. It’s all of the small companies that maintain town going. We make use of lots of people and there’s numerous them sitting there unemployed proper now.”
Giordano stated he needed to lay off all his workers, at present by himself at his salon, in a position to provide solely curbside gross sales of hair care merchandise.
“It’s robust on them (his workers).”
“The issue is the (provincial) authorities’s probably not telling us once we’re going to return. It’s February the eleventh some persons are saying, some say it’s February seventh, however it’s not 100 per cent. There are companies that want time to open up, order merchandise, name their workers in and have conferences after being closed for a month. We’ve obtained to know and I believe they need to inform us,” Giordano stated.
“I simply hope all people stays secure and we get this vaccine and all people can get again to regular finally. It’s onerous for small companies proper now.”
The lockdown can be upsetting Debbie Dunseath, skilled hairstylist, Shear Magic proprietor/operator and Ontario Skilled Hairstylist Affiliation (OPHA) president.
“The problem is we’re not categorized as important employees, however (additionally) we’re certainly one of solely 23 obligatory trades in Ontario, however the one one not working (not allowed to function through the lockdown),” Dunseath stated.
“All the opposite obligatory trades are ruled beneath the Ontario Faculty of Trades, which is now being disbanded and we’re being moved over to the Ministry of Labour, Coaching and Abilities Improvement, however within the interim there’s a void. No one from one facet is speaking to the opposite facet. No one’s taking good care of us. There are 144 trades (in Ontario), however there’s solely 23 of them which are obligatory and hairstylists are the one ones not working.”
“Are we revered (as tradespeople)? I’d say no, not at this level. I’ve been doing this for 46 years. In our curriculum there’s well being and security, there are insurance policies and laws, all of that studying falls beneath the Ontario Well being and Security Act. We study all of it, we’ve obtained it, we all know it,” stated Dunseath, a former Sault Faculty hairstyling teacher.
“We’re very disturbed by the very fact we’re not working.”
Dunseath stated nobody in authorities has appeared to listen to, regardless of a letter marketing campaign.
“Zero reply, which is simply so disrespectful.”
Dunseath stated she and OPHA haven’t obtained replies from the workplace of Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Coaching and Abilities Improvement or Jill Dunlop, Affiliate Minister of Youngsters and Girls’s Points.
“Folks do not make cash. 80 per cent of our employees are females, and out of that 80 per cent I’d say in all probability 40 per cent minimal are single earnings households the place they’re the primary breadwinner, and so they’re not working.”
Dunseath stated she works out of her house (with no business lease to pay) however has needed to lay off her one different worker.
However with so many different hair salon homeowners not working and unable to pay lease, each within the Sault and throughout Ontario, Dunseath stated “persons are going to shut.”
“The entire issues that had been in place (after the primary lockdown was lifted final summer season, resembling hairstylists and clients sporting masks, altered scheduling of workers and reserving of appointments) had been efficient. There are not any stats on it.”
There is no such thing as a proof of COVID transmission at hair salons, Dunseath stated, stating hairstyling is grouped along with professions resembling private help employee, some PSWs having been stricken with COVID.
“I wish to see Mr. McNaughton (Minister of Labour) to have a dialog at a spherical desk with those who symbolize certainly one of his 23 obligatory trades, the one one not working, to assist us get again to work or on the very least clarify why we’re not working.”
“Open us up, get us going,” Dunseath stated.
