Formula One weekend is one of the busiest — and most profitable — times of the year for Montreal’s strip clubs.
But on Saturday, instead of dancing, some strippers are planning a different kind of action.
The Sex Work Autonomous Committee, known as SWAC, has organized a strike during the city’s Grand Prix festivities demanding employee status for dancers, the abolition of bar fees and the decriminalization of sex work.
CBC reported on the planned strike earlier this week, speaking with organizers and strippers who said their employment status as independent contractors has for too long shielded strip club owners from ensuring safe working conditions.
But now, some dancers across Montreal have come out against the strike, fearing the proposed changes could make vulnerable workers even less safe.
CBC agreed to conceal the identities of several dancers interviewed for this story due to concerns for their safety and potential retribution from employers.
“We are initially people who were for the strike because we want change,” said one dancer, who asked to be identified as Coco. “It’s just we’re not sure this is exactly the change that we want.”’
Most dancers in Canada currently work as independent contractors rather than salaried employees. They make their money by selling dances or if patrons tip them while they’re onstage
In many clubs, dancers pay “bar fees” — fees charged by clubs to work a shift — and then, in theory, maintain control over their schedules, clients and hours.
Strike organizers argue that the system leaves workers vulnerable.
“They always make us feel like we’re replaceable,” said Adore Goldman, co-founder of SWAC and organizer of the strike. CBC granted Goldman’s request to use her professional name instead of her legal name due to safety concerns if her legal name was known to her clients.
“So if you ask for too much, you will get kicked out or they will just not book you just because they can.”
New status, new problems
Supporters of the strike say employee status would provide stronger labour protections, more stability and safer working conditions.
But other dancers argue employee classification could create new problems — especially for workers already facing discrimination or precarious immigration situations.
“Having the flexibility and the autonomy of being a self-employed contractor is really important,” said a Montreal dancer who opposes the employee status proposal. She asked to be identified as Zohra.
Several dancers interviewed by CBC said they worry formal employment records tied to sex work could expose workers to additional scrutiny when crossing borders, applying for housing or interacting with police.
Others fear clubs would gain more control over schedules, performance expectations and hiring decisions.
“We like the degree of autonomy that we have currently,” another dancer under the alias of Andrea, said. “Too much power in the hands of our employers could reproduce the racial discrimination that is happening.”
(Cassandra Yanez-Leyton/CBC)
CBC has made multiple attempts to reach different Montreal strip clubs with no success.
Some dancers who oppose the strike also say employee status could create a two-tier system within the industry, where workers unable or unwilling to formally register as employees would be pushed into more precarious and less visible work environments.
“There’s going to be the people who fell through the cracks, who work in more dangerous conditions,” said Coco, referring to people with precarious immigration status.
The debate over bar fees has become another major flashpoint.
Strike organizers argue the fees unfairly shift business costs onto dancers, who are also often expected to tip DJs, managers and other staff.
“This can add up,” Goldman said.
But opponents compare the arrangement to renting a chair at a hair salon — paying for workspace while maintaining independence over earnings and schedules.
“I would much rather pay $50 to work than $350 because now I owe the club a quota,” Coco said, using a quota as an example of how an employed dancer might be stung by an employer’s rules.
Debate ends at decriminalization
Despite the disagreements over labour models, many dancers on both sides of the debate support decriminalizing sex work in Canada.
Currently, selling sexual services is legal under Canadian law, but purchasing them remains criminalized.
A network of dancers who oppose the strike, called Pleasers on the Ground, says its focus is on harm reduction, peer support and education rather than formal employment structures.
Members say they want to expand access to workshops, information about workers’ rights and mutual support systems inside the industry.
“We want people to feel like they have the right to say what they need,” said Zohra, a member of the group. “We want people to know what resources are available to them.”
The group also says it wants to reduce stigma and misinformation surrounding sex work while protecting the anonymity of workers who may not feel safe speaking publicly.
“The people who are most vulnerable, they’re never going to be able to sit here where I am right now,” Zohra said. “That’s putting people at risk.”
The day of action on Saturday will include a protest at Place de la Paix in downtown Montreal. Around 5:30 p.m., participants will then split up and distribute flyers outlining their demands outside various strip clubs in the city.