Montreal sex workers plan strike during Formula One Grand Prix weekend
The Sex Work Autonomous Committee (SWAC) has announced a general strike for Saturday, May 23, 2024, coinciding with the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix weekend in Montreal. The strike, aimed at club owners and managers, targets the city's busiest night for strip clubs and seeks to pressure them into meeting several demands.
SWAC’s demands include the abolition of the nightly "bar fee" that dancers must pay—often up to $110 per shift—granting full labour protections and achieving complete decriminalisation of sex work at the federal level. Participants such as a dancer known as Kit describe how fees and increased bar charges during the Grand Prix can leave workers in the red, while massage‑parlour worker Lena Rozanov highlights safety concerns and the lack of insurance or paid leave for autonomous workers.
The committee points to Washington state’s 2024 "strippers' bill of rights" as a model for safer conditions. Quebec’s workplace safety board notes that most labour protections apply only to employees, not self‑employed workers. Grand Prix promoter Bell GPCanada has issued a statement condemning sexual exploitation and supporting local authorities’ efforts. The strike is voluntary, and the number of participants remains uncertain.