Nearly 20 dancers at Wellington’s Calendar Girls strip club lost their jobs. Photo / 123RF
Nearly 20 dancers at Wellington’s Calendar Girls strip club lost their jobs. Photo / 123RF
Strippers at Calendar Girls could face fines of up to $500 and a 50 per cent tip forfeiture over acts such as rude behaviour towards managers or having an “unkempt appearance”.
A copy of the Calendar Girls independent contractor agreement provided to the Herald shows dancers who miss a stage spot, leave their thong on during their second song or tip round and those who don’t show up for work can be fined $250.
This comes after 19 women were dropped from the Wellington club last week after a failed attempt to collectively negotiate their contract.
While they initially had “just two requests”, related to a price and cut increase at the club and documentation for tax season, workers said one of the “compounding issues” included “very heavy” fines.
“For example, miss your stage spot, $250 fine, things like that, that you have no ability to protest, so that’s a huge issue for quite a few clubs.”
The contract also states dancers who have an “unkempt appearance”, “misuse” their cellphones, are late without approval or make an “obscene gesture” may also be charged $100 per issue.
The largest fines are handed down to dancers whose behaviour is deemed to be rude towards patrons or managers, and those with multiple complaints, and can result in a $500 “inconvenience fee” as well as a 50 per cent tip forfeiture.
Strippers who are intoxicated during a shift can also be fined $500.
Their contract also states “loitering in the changing rooms for an unacceptable amount of time” as a $200 offence.
One former worker, who the Herald agreed not to name, said it was “absolutely” not fair that people hired as independent contractors had the potential threat of these fines hanging over them.
“It’s too vague, it’s very subjective.”
While the club has said no one in the Wellington establishment has been fined this financial year, the worker said they were still threatened with fines.
Calendar Girls claimed in a statement earlier this week the contracts were written by a specialist lawyer and alleged it had not changed its private dancer cost for 12 years.
Even if a worker performs the most expensive “service” offered in the contract, an outcall costing the client $800, they would still be $100 off the most expensive fine and only earn $400.
The contract also revealed a 15-minute “standard booth” costs the punter $150, $75 of which goes to the dancer.
For a Strip O Gram, the worker walks away with $198, whereas the client has to pay $500 in total.
Aotearoa New Zealand Sex Workers’ Collective national organiser Dame Catherine Healy told the Herald contracts have been used to coerce dancers to turn up for work, or to impose fines, ever since contracts at strip clubs have existed.
“Nobody should be fined for exercising their independence in this context. Let’s not forget they’re going to perform, they’re strippers, dancers and it’s an environment where people should have autonomy.”
