TWO, four, six, eight the strippers at the Lusty Lady want more money to titillate!
The US's only unionized showgirls have turned to sexy slogans like that to spice up the picket line in their fight for better wages and increased sick days to boost benefits they say are too skimpy at the San Francisco peep-show-style club.
And with other light-hearted chants like "Bad girls like good contracts" and "Starving strippers ain't got nothing to shake," the ladies of the Lusty Lady are drawing attention to labour issues they say are important to all workers, no matter the profession.
At one rally the showgirls of Local 790 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) whipped up support from motorists who honked their horns in solidarity and a number of mostly male pedestrians who eagerly listened to the protesters outline their demands.
"We are having a little bit of fun with it," Vivian Jones told the rally across the street from the club located in the touristy North Beach neighbourhood filled with bars, restaurants and, of course, more adult clubs and stores.
"But we also want to get the message out that we are interesting, we are articulate and we deserve the same rights as other workers in America."
Management could not be reached for comment at the club that was unionized in 1996 and offers an average hourly wage of US$14 to US$24 per hour.
The contract fight - which has gained media headlines worldwide - centres on US$3 an hour wage concessions the Lusty Lady workers made 20 months ago to help out management when business was faltering.
Now, the some 60 union strippers - whose contract expires in January - want that money back along with more shifts and other benefit protections they receive as workers at one of the few remaining peep-show style clubs in the country.
Sex sells
These women know sex sells and haven't been shy about playing on the stereotypes of their profession as they work the crowd to gain public support and media attention at the rallies.
"People like to come by and look at pretty girls," said Lucretia, wearing a hot-pink union T-shirt, leather pants and over-sized sunglasses. "It seems that a lot of people have recently come into the Lusty Lady for the first time."
Most of the action takes place across the street from the club that has seen better days. A brightly lit sign promises "Lovely, Lusty, Ladies" but one step inside reveals well-worn carpeting, dim lighting and machines that dispense coins needed to raise the curtain on the viewing booths.
The seedy work-place environment might make one wonder what the fight is all about, but the women say the venue offers them a secure place to dance because they are behind glass and have no contact with customers.
Strippers at the Lusty Lady, unlike at most other strip clubs, don't dance for tips but depend on the hourly wage. It's a safe, steady job that many say provides a decent living in an expensive city while offering the flexibility to pursue other interests such as school, art or music.
"We don't have to hustle customers," Jones said. "We can show ourselves to be the strong sexy women we are."
The strippers are also able to draw on the resources of the powerful union. At a recent rally, for example, a union representative helped staff the picket line, handed out leaflets to curious pedestrians and explained to journalists that this was a indeed a serious labour battle.
Faye Roe, who works for Local 790, admitted that the idea of representing strippers seemed strange at first, but she's not complaining about the extra media coverage sparked by the picketing exotic dancers.
"We are hopeful this will put pressure on management," said Roe. "A strike is the last resort and we hope that management will get our point." (Agencies via Xinhua)
