Montreal sex workers to demonstrate for stronger labour rights on F1 weekend

MONTREAL — A group of sex workers in Montreal is planning a demonstration today during Grand Prix weekend to demand better working conditions.

The Sex Work Autonomous Committee says the workers want an end to the nightly fees that dancers are forced to pay to work in clubs, as well as the full decriminalization of sex work and access to better labour protections.

The demonstration takes place during Montreal’s Formula One Grand Prix weekend, which draws hundreds of thousands of tourists to the city.

One member of the organizing group told The Canadian Press last week that dancers in strip clubs are generally considered self-employed workers, which means they’re not covered by Quebec workplace safety regulations.