Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

  1. #1
    Member TorchtheWitch's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2002
    Location
    big canadian waterfall
    Posts
    48
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    I've got to rant, I'm still furious. I'm so angry I want to break things. Specific things, like legs and arms.

    4 years ago I worked at a strip club in Fort Erie. The owner of this clubs also owns about 8 others across Ontario and in the Buffalo area. I've worked at one of their London bars, back when they still paid us a wage.

    So there was an article in the Toronto star that summer about lap dancing and in my opinion, the writer didn't have a clue what he was talking about so I fired off a letter which ended up getting published as the letter of the day. I didn't mention my club or the owner (I almost said my boss but how can you be my boss if I pay YOU?) but I did express my opinion. Well, needless to say, the next time I went into work, they told me I wasn't welcome anymore.

    Ok, so it's four years later and I've decided to start dancing again after a 2 and a half year hiatus. The only clubs left in town are owned by this family. So I go there in June, wondering if they're going to remember me and I know they do. I can tell. I just don't know if they remember the specifics or if they just remember me as a "troublemaker". ( I should also mention that a google search on my name which is on my licence will show that I am very involved with a dancers's rights org. In fact, I'm the chair, so I always wondered if they checked on me and were just waiting for an opportunity although I doubt they are that bright)

    So anyway, the manager immediately tried to make me uncomfortable on my first day with a really stupid "joke". He comes up to me and says some kind of joke about sucking cock and presents me with two choices for his "joke" Well, I didn't pick either option and he kept saying "you HAVE to pick one" and I said "Oh ok, I understand, I have to choose one of these so your little joke will work right?" And then he says "If I washed my cock a hundred times would you suck it?" to which I reply "no" and he comes back with the ever clever "Well you must be a dirty cocksucker then." and he laughs at his clever little joke which I first heard back in, what, 11th grade or so and walks away, chuckling at his wit.

    So I basically ignored this guy for the entire time I've worked there (It's not the only club I work at but it's the closest)knowing that the best thing for me is to just stay out of his way.
    I have to add that I am the best dancer at the club and the only one people seem to get excited about when on stage. This is not a brag, it's just fact. I'm old school and come from the days where we danced and entertained. I add this because I think it's relevant since you'd think they'd WANT women who draw a crowd and entertain, but I guess they make enough money extorting dancers that it doesn't matter.

    Over the summer I have watched them mistreat people harshly, insulting them and on three occasions, I have seen two dancers and a waitress cry. They also have a problem with basic hygiene there, no soap or hand towels in the women's restroom downstairs, I've had to knock on the men's washroom door more than once to ask for some soap to wash my goddamned hands. Tiny dressing room, inadequate locker space, they don't protect us when we need it, christ, I could go on for days.

    Anyway, tonight, they charged me extra money to work there because I hadn't paid them by one a.m. yet as I was busy with a customer. It was a really dead night as most holiday weekends are. I decided to leave just before two a.m.. I should add that I hadn't had a drink or anything to smoke all night so I was sober as a judge.
    So I'm upstairs in the dressing room, I've gotten dressed and I'm talking to a young lady who works at one of their clubs in Niagara (sundowner). She regularly works at the sundowner and we are talking about it. She tells me that if you work at the Niag club, they MAKE you work one night a week in Fort Erie.
    And, they don't provide any transportation to Fort Erie, they expect you to find your own way. This was actually news to me and I expressed my disbelief to her. She says she's lost a lot of money having to work here tonight and is upset obviously. I'm pissed, shaking my head, angry as hell at these fucking parasites who in my informed opinion have contributed significantly to the devolution of the business and the misery of many.

    I say to her "You know, I believe in Karma and I really can't WAIT until Karma kicks in with these people. I would LOVE to watch them get theirs!"

    At which time (and ya know, I KNEW he was there, listening, I just KNEW it!) he walks into the room and says, "oh yeah, karma for who?"
    And I say "Karma for jerks, Danny. Can't wait to see it come around."
    and then he says "oh yeah, so who's a jerk?"
    and I say "too many folks are jerks Danny, and I believe I was having a private conversation with this young lady"
    He starts laughing and says "what makes you think she gives a shit about anything YOU have to say"
    and I know I'm getting close to spouting off and I know I've gotta bite my tongue now and you people just have NO idea how difficult this is for me so I just start laughing and say "You know what? I'm outta here."
    and I say to the girl, "Have a good night honey" and start to walk past him and he says
    "You, don't you come back. You're outta here for good." and so because I know I'm free to say whatever now, I tell him "thanks for the favour asshole. I'm taking you people DOWN. I'm going to the health board, the papers, the cops, you name it."
    And thinking back, I probably shouldn't have said anything AND I WISH TO GOD I HAD BROUGHT MY FUCKING TAPE RECORDER TONIGHT but I didn't. I can't begin to express my utter contempt for this awful, cruel family. And I don't like to hate but these people but these people are so good at fucking people, they need a rude awakening.
    They have gotten rich off the blood sweat and tears of women for years, I have watched them threaten, extort, hurt, and degrade their "employees". It will be my fucking pleasure to bring them down.

    thanks for listening to me bitch.

    This family owns sundowner and another club in the falls, Maxine's and Pure Platinum in Fort Erie. solid Gold in Burlington, Solid Gold in London and a few in Buffalo, one by the name of Mademoiselles.
    Just thought I"d warn any of you taking a trip to Canada in the near future.

    christ, I can't wait to take over the world

  2. #2
    Guest

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    Torch, I am sad to hear your story, but not suprised at all by it unfortunatly. If I may quote you here? *So I go there in June, wondering if they're going to remember me and I know they do. I can tell. I just don't know if they remember the specifics or if they just remember me as a "troublemaker". ( I should also mention that a google search on my name which is on my licence will show that I am very involved with a dancers's rights org. In fact, I'm the chair, so I always wondered if they checked on me and were just waiting for an opportunity although I doubt they are that bright) * I can tell you what happened without knowing anyone involved here. One of your coworkers has got in tight with them and is feeding them anything they want to hear. Add to that an asshole manager whos got his own agenda and you got screwed. Good luck to you. Saralee

  3. #3
    Veteran Member hollyday's Avatar
    Joined
    Dec 2002
    Location
    london,ontario,canada
    Posts
    548
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    torch ru talking about zorran, from solids in london??
    i always wondered why i hated that bar..i have never worked there but i have drank in there a million times and i always wondered why i always had a shitty vibe there,,now i know why...its a downtown kinda shit hole with down town riffraff...thanks for the warning i will never set foot in there again....but there is a really great stripper shoe store called SHOENET right next door! in case any of u ladies are in the neighborhood
    blessed be

  4. #4
    Veteran Member Theresa's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Buffalo, NY
    Posts
    347
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    Actually, she is talking about Maxine's, the club in which I currently work. And I'm sorry but I really think she is exaggerating, at least a bit. I LOVE working there, but maybe it is because I have only been there a few weeks so the novelty hasnt worn off yet. Anyway, I think the manager there is cool, and yes, it is the same one who fired her. As long as you don't do anything to piss him off he wont bother you. As far as her getting charged more money to work b/c she hadn't paid by one, there are signs ALL over the club (djs booth, dressing room) stating if you dont pay by one it will be $5 more, which isn't even bad because you only pay, at the most, $25 Canadian to work there, which is pretty damn cheap. And if you are on the floor by 6pm you dont have to pay anything to work there. Also, in any other job you would NOT give the manager attitude, so why do it in this business?

  5. #5
    Featured Member TiNi's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2002
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    996
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 7 Times in 3 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    Im sorry Theresa but if any one talk to you dirty, I think l you would curse them out, manager or not. All dancers are self employed they hire you and also work for you. Without dancers they are nothing.
    But Torch know the situation why go back to a club you have problems with. ???

  6. #6
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    Buffalo/Ft. Erie/Niagara Falls is an example of what happens when "chain clubs" start to become a significant percentage of the clubs in an area. Besides the family of clubs owned by this same group as the club Torch worked for, the only other options are non-earners. Other Buffalo clubs are within the city limits such that the dancers can't offer nudity or anything in the way of contact without the risk of being busted. Buffalo guys are simply not going to go there if they can get full contact for the same prices 5 miles across the border in Ft. Erie, Ontario. Other southern Ontario clubs are downscale and/or extremely high mileage.

    When one group begins to control all of the top earning clubs in one area, any dancer who winds up on their "shit list" can find herself blackballed from every club which offers decent earnings potential. Even when there are several different owners of top earning clubs, as in Manhattan, the owners do know and talk to each other such that a dancer labeled as a "troublemaker" can wind up blackballed throughout the area anyhow.

    The point here is that dancing in clubs which still have a decent earning potential in these hard economic times is extremely competitive. The owners of decent earning potential clubs know that they will have way more requests from dancers looking for work than they need or can use. This then puts the owners of decent earnings potential clubs in the "driver's seat" - meaning that they can afford to say no to girls who are 7's or 8's because they know that enough 9's and 10's will be looking for work to take care of any dancer openings they may have. They can also now afford to blackball a dancer, even if she is a '10', if she is unreliable, unprofessional, or a 'troublemaker'. This situation is a big change (and a big surprise) for some girls who are '9's or'10's who in previous years would have their 'ass kissed" by club management even though they stirred up trouble, they didn't show up on time for their shift, they cheesed on tipouts etc. because the clubowner couldn't find another '9' or '10' to replace her.

    Is this fair, probably not. Is this real, you bet your 6" heels! Torch's only options are to work at the area clubs not owned by this group for peanuts, or to pack up and move a few hundred miles. This same sort of club ownership consolidation, "corporate club" takeovers of privately owned clubs etc. is going on all over the country. Just like other businesses in corporate America, these "corporate clubs" will use every angle to their own advantage including rejecting potential job applicants who have a 'questionable' track record. They have very little regard for their dancers as people, and see dancers as simply 'labor' in a market where there is now a shortage of good paying job openings and a surplus of "well qualified" job applicants.

    PS I have met the clubowner in question, and he appears to be a major power trip asshole! I danced exactly one night in one of his clubs (Mademoiselles). But I voted with my feet by leaving rather than stirring up trouble. These days, no dancer can really afford to be making an enemy of a clubowner, because you never know what other clubs this owner may also be connected with/talking to. Just like Torch, I would love to see a little "cosmic justice" extracted from this particular clubowner, but realistically speaking that is not going to happen until club business conditions improve and local laws change to the point that dancers who are '9's and '10's have enough other decent income potential employment opportunities in non-affiliated clubs that they can afford to tell this particular clubowner to "kiss their ass". Unless this clubowner finds himself in a situation where he can't get or keep dancers who are '9's and '10's because of his thouroughly hated policies and is therefore FORCED to change them or face loss of his club customers, he has no incentive to change a thing.


  7. #7
    Banned
    Joined
    May 2003
    Location
    CA.
    Posts
    929
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    Torch, I was truly moved by your story. Just keep in mind that this is only one family that is abusing their power.
    I know all about discrimination . I was fired from a job (not in the same line) for whistleblowing. The company ruled over it's employees by fear. They were paying an agency $20/hr. for temporary employees, while for $20. you could get seasoned experienced personel. The whole reason was to gain leverage over the employees with better ease in firing. I won my case against the company. Don't jump your guns yet because it was a Canadian company I fought against. It has no bearing on my neighbor to the north however.
    Since these people exercise such widespread control over the region I think the only way to fight them is if the dancers unionize against them. The only other thing I can think of is establish your own business. You certainly have the womenpower to do so. Don't give up your fight!

  8. #8
    Senior Member kennedy's Avatar
    Joined
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Toronto
    Posts
    135
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    I too work for this chain of clubs, however not in the border area so much. I am at the Solid Gold In Burlington, and it is quite honestly the best, cleanest, friendliest club I have ever worked at. Granted, I have not met the owner....he keeps himself pretty occupied with the Niagara area clubs...but the managers are great. I have heard bad things about the owner from girls,djs,wait staff..etc...

    This sounds alot like many of the horror stories I have heard about working in the border areas....high mileage, asshole "bosses" or whatever their title is...

    " If I can't be a good example, then I will just have to be a terrible warning."

  9. #9
    Moderator Djoser's Avatar
    Joined
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Key West
    Posts
    16,343
    Thanks
    1,395
    Thanked 5,487 Times in 2,768 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    That manager, complete with disgusting and persistent blow-job jokes, sounds distressingly similar to one I worked with up until about nine months ago.

    These guys use their positions of authority to pump up their hollow, frail egos with hot gas on a nightly basis. They cannot bear to be around anyone with the imagination to see through the charade. Or the gonads (nice unisexual term that is) which prevent knuckling under to it. You don't really even need to say much to these people, if you are like Torch the Witch, or myself, all it can take is a look, a gesture.

    We are unable to disguise our contempt.

    It can make it difficult to keep a job, in this business, but I would not change this quality, in myself, or in this magnificent woman who started this thread so long ago, only to vanish...



    Where is Torch the Witch?

    The Queen of Karma.

    You are being summoned...
    You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
    Friedrich Nietzsche

    Free your mind, and your ass will follow.
    George Clinton

    ______________________________________

  10. #10
    Featured Member LEIGH_LANDON's Avatar
    Joined
    Sep 2002
    Location
    tee dot
    Posts
    1,476
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    Hmmm, I too know of which you speak, the clubs and the family.

    I keep my visits to a minimum, avoiding all familiarity and the stuff that goes with it.

    They do have a mini monopoly going on and no lack of girls in which to work the clubs either, further fueling the power they wield.

    You have my understanding, empathy and concern, Torch.

    I hope you find another club and all goes well for you.

    LIVE LONG & PROSPER!
    Leigh Landon

    Never explain yourself to anyone, because the person who likes you doesn't need it and the person that dislikes you won't believe it.

  11. #11
    Banned Melonie's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2002
    Location
    way south of the border
    Posts
    25,932
    Thanks
    612
    Thanked 10,563 Times in 4,646 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    My Mood
    Cynical

    Default Re: FIRED AGAIN- THE CRIME-EXPRESSING AN OPINION

    That's the real tragedy, Leigh, that economic conditions are generally so bad with any alternative club in the general area (thanks in no small part to Buffalo's anti dance club ordinance) that there is a waiting list of girls ready to accept whatever sort of shit this club chain wants to hand down in exchange for the opportunity to earn a decent buck. This situation of too few good earnings potential clubs with tyrannical owners (many with chains of clubs), and too many dancers facing the dilemma of dancing at a club where they can earn enough to pay their bills but must put up with mucho bullshit, or dancing at clubs with decent respectful management but WalMart earnings potential, basically means that dancers have zero leverage to change things. Such club chains and tyrannical clubowners are becoming widespread not only in the Buffalo area but throughout most of NY, NJ and CT.

    In fact, these tyrannical clubowners appear to be banding together lately to drive out independent clubs via the tactic of blacklisting dancers who work for the independents (see thread on Squeeze Club in clubs section). These tyrannical clubowners also do not think twice about firing dancers for any reason they care to choose, and blacklisting her after the fact in the other clubs in their chain as well as at some competing chain clubs. This modernized version of "my way or the highway" is, unfortunately, a deadly serious bit of reality that girls wishing to continue to earn decent money in the area need to keep in mind. Yes, there is freedom of speech, but there is also freedom to fire you as a result with little hope of being hired at another area club with decent earnings potential!

Similar Threads

  1. Myspace Crime??
    By GYMGIRLYGAL25 in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 08-15-2008, 09:22 PM
  2. Crime on Craigslist
    By golden41 in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 08-14-2008, 08:15 PM
  3. Expressing extreme gratitude
    By parkerposey in forum Hustle Hut
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 07-08-2007, 02:45 PM
  4. crime witness
    By Vyanka in forum The Lounge
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 02-07-2006, 12:00 PM
  5. Replies: 19
    Last Post: 07-04-2005, 08:53 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •