Strippers Tell Lawmakers of Unsafe Working Conditions

Wednesday, December 5, 2018 | 0

Strippers in Washington state told lawmakers the limited number of workers’ compensation claims or safety complaints is not evidence that their industry is free from workplace health and safety violations, the Spokesman-Review reported.

A representative from the state’s Department of Labor and Industries told the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee during a hearing Monday there have been 68 work comp claims filed against 17 exotic dancing clubs over the last 18 years. The claims were mostly for muscle strains or slip and fall injuries, but some were for injuries sustained in fights or by broken glass and falling tables.

Chris Bowe, L&I’s assistant director for fraud prevention and labor standards, told the committee the department responded to five safety complaints in the last 10 years. All complaints were classified as “low severity” and resolved without L&I identifying any violations.

Dancers told the committee that they face being fired for reporting concerns about workplace safety.

Aubrey Watkins said she was fired for calling the police in 2004 after one of two men trying to abduct her hit her with a gun. Aaliyah Topps, said bouncers are not properly trained to keep dancers safe, and working conditions in the industry are generally unsanitary due to limited bathrooms that don’t always have running water.

The Spokesman-Review reported that Eric Forbes, director of operations for a company that operates nine strip clubs in the state, said dancers don’t receive workplace training because they’re contractors. Winter Frank, a former dancer who now manages the clubs for the same company that wasn’t identified in the report, said the industry is heavily regulated already and the state shouldn’t infringe on their free speech.

Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, said during the hearing the committee he chairs was not interested in suppressing anyone’s 1st Amendment rights.

“The only issue we have is on workplace standards,” he said.

Committees from the House of Representatives finished a second day of pre-session hearings Tuesday. Senate committees held pre-session hearings Nov. 14 and 15. Joint House and Senate committees are scheduled  to meet Wednesday.

The Legislature will convene for a regular session Jan. 14.