So I fact checked this thing and it checks out, and it’s incredibly INCREDIBLY important, because many clubs use illegal labor practices like charging dancers t work, misclassifying them as independent contractors, demanding a portion of the dancer’s tips, or failing to pay them at the bare minimum minimum wage.
So exotic dancers of tumblr, you need to read this, it is incredibly important and then something needs to be done. File a complaint, file a suit over wage theft, unionize, because they are doing SO MUCH ILLEGAL SHIT.
Please spread this like fucking wildfire.
I see what you are trying to say here but it is extremely ignorant. As a stripper myself I absolutely prefer to be an independent contractor. With the employee title comes schedules, lack of anonymity, and a level of control by my employer that makes me very uncomfortable. I left civillian work to avoid those things. There are downsides to being an independent contractor but I’ll take them over being considered an employee any day. What about traveling dancers who only stay at any certain club for a weekend. Employee status is not beneficial for me as a stripper. The fact that this is being reblogged by civillians who don’t know what strippers want or how our industry works is very disconcerting and worrisome.
I’m an ex stripper, at the club I worked in they already had schedules, our full legal names and a lot of rules about what we could and couldn’t wear. Obviously travelling/feature dancing is different. I do think that there should probably be another legal status that allows for the independance of stripping but also acknowledges that house dancers are not the same as say a graphic designer, and should have benefits and so on.
Not to mention that stage fees and having to “tip out” still fall heavily under “pay to work”. We’re not independant businesses, not even to the extent someone renting a station in a hair salon is.
I respectfully disagree. It is unfortunate that your previous clubs impeded on your IC status so heavily (being honest here, all clubs do a bit) but I have to say that you are the first girl I’ve come across who actually wants to go the employment route with the issue. Even if the club payed you a paycheck (I’m assuming this would function similar to other tip based work i.e. waiting tables) those checks would end up mostly going to taxes. In my club, which is not the most respectful of our IC status, they have a voluntary schedule, no record of my real name or other personal info excepting my dancer licence with the state, and only ensure that we cover what needs to be covered as we are not a full nude club. I would rather keep paying to work (rent the stage and other facilities) and keep the freedoms that I have than tether myself as an employee.
The places where there have been lawsuits, from what I’ve heard, everything has gotten bad for everyone. Find a club that treats their employees well. If all of the best dancers end up at the clubs that treat them well, those clubs will flourish.
@clarawebbwillcutoffyourhead I believe has some info, a lot of those stories are scare tactics by owners, but also I think one needs strong worker organization in the club because if the boss is at risk of having no dancers come in if they don’t fall in line
I speak to dancers, features, and DJs from around the country. In some places, once you become an employee they collect ALL of your tips, calculate the taxes for you, and give you a paycheck. It also means that they can schedule you, rather than you making your own schedule-no deciding you want to pick up a shift because you’re broke. There was a great podcast talking to an owner who changed over…
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/panda-radio-podcast/id953681604?mt=2&i=360417980
They actually prefer it. However, most of the big chain clubs at the moment have basically no rules because they’re terrified of being sued. Also, I really don’t think that lawsuits and bad publicity are helping the industry at this point.
That’s actually also illegal, have a look at this http://clarawebbwillcutoffyourhead.tumblr.com/post/138608474884/stripper-labor-rights-101
In order to avoid lawsuits my club gives every girl an option- be an independent contractor with no schedule, no mandatory tip outs, and a lot less rules, or be an employee making minimum wage and with the opportunity for workmans comp if we get hurt but get fired if you no call no show or are late too often and they collect all of your tips. 99% of us choose to be contractors. It’s just easier that way and most of us prefer it.
Yes, strip clubs really blur the lines on IC/employees. But forcing them to make us employees and suing them won’t help us too much I don’t think.
^^^ at my club we can choose to be an IC or an employee and we’d have to give them all of our tip money, they’d choose out outfits for us and tell us who to talk to.
it’s a broken system, but it’s better than being an employee under that direction. most sws don’t want to have a boss outde of themselves because it’s an extremely personal job. i’ll personally take the industry as it is over being an employee stripper any day. it could be improved, but i don’t have the time or the money to hire a lawyer.
Have you considered unionizing? Direct action gets satisfaction faster and cheaper than through courts
nope 🙂
Why does this person care…. 🙄
I don’t have the time, energy, money or give a fuck to try and change an industry that runs exactly the way I need it to just because it’s a little unfair to me sometimes. I will pay out the ass to work the way I do because it benefits my mental, emotional and physical health. Plus, I make bank. Why would I care about unionizing.
^^^yeah exactly. She said she is an ex stripper, why does she care about it then?? Working fine for me. I would much rather make tips than a wage??? Hellewww???
Never said you shouldn’t get tips, I think you should get your tips plus minimum wage (I’m still doing sex work, I’m currently a prodomme)
Thoughts From The Peacock Angel 