Canada strippers, pole dancers set to boycott busy F1 weekend. Here's why?

A group of Montreal strippers are planning a strike over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, aiming to disrupt one of the city’s most lucrative nights for strip clubs as part of a push for stronger labour protections and employee rights. The action, planned for May 23, targets the eve of the Formula One race weekend when demand and revenue are typically at their peak.

The Sex Work Autonomous Committee (SWAC) said the strike is intended to pressure club management during their busiest period of the year.

“As strippers, we are considered independent contractors, this means that on paper we are treated the same as, say, an independent plumber that you would hire for your home repairs,” SWAC said in a statement as quoted by Reuters. “The independent contractor plumber is responsible to no one but themself, while the independent contractor stripper is responsible to club management, at the expense of their job.”

The planned strike is to reignite debate over the classification and working conditions of sex workers in Canada, particularly those operating as independent contractors in nightlife venues. The group added that the timing of the action is deliberate, aimed at maximising economic pressure on club owners.

“The clubs are at their busiest, making it the most lucrative period of the year for our boss,” the statement continued. “This is our chance to threaten that income and affect them when it hurts the most. During this time, despite management making more money, dancers have to put up with generally worse working conditions.”

The campaign is centred on demands for recognition as employees rather than independent contractors, along with the abolition of mandatory “bar fees” paid by dancers to perform. SWAC is also calling for improved safety standards, sanitary working conditions, and an end to discriminatory hiring and scheduling practices.

As the Canadian Grand Prix weekend approaches, the proposed action is expected to draw significant attention due to the surge in tourism and nightlife activity, placing added scrutiny on working conditions within one of the city’s most profitable entertainment periods.

The race weekend, beginning on May 22, will feature a single practice session followed by Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint race on May 23. Qualifying for the main Grand Prix is scheduled for May 24, with the main race set to take place on May 25.