Queenstown strip club dancer Sophie Veail, who works for Soho, launched the petition last Thursday out of concern for Calendar Girls’ alleged exploitation of sex workers — she formerly worked for the chain in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
The chain is looking to set up where Seek nightclub operates below The World Bar in Church St.
The petition calls on the local district licensing agency to deny Calendar Girls, or any venue associated with its founder, James Samson, a liquor licence.
It also calls on one of the owners of the Church St building and his Arrowtown lawyer, Steve Rutherford, to deny the strip club, or any business associated with Samson, a lease.
Strip club workers’ union Fired Up Stilettos (FUS) chairwoman Margot Embargot said FUS "was born out of injustice experienced by Calendar Girls workers, so it should be no surprise we support the campaign against a Calendar Girls opening in Queenstown".
"We’re incredibly proud to see more worker-led action happening in the adult entertainment industry.
"Queenstown has two clubs with fair pay and working conditions, something Calendar Girls will be unable to compete with to attract workers.
"Workers at both Soho and The Club keep 70% of their earnings," she said. But that was not the same elsewhere.
"It’s clear Calendar Girls is focused on exploiting strippers’ labour to serve their own interests, rather than collaborating with us.
"They don’t seem to realise customers go to strip clubs to see the strippers — the strippers are the business, and no-one’s impressed by the offer of a 50:50 cut.
"The Calendar Girls contract has a varied price cut — the highest profit cut to the dancer is 50%, with some types of booking as low as 40%."
Meanwhile, Mr Samson told The New Zealand Herald Calendar Girls has "led the way" for the past 28 years and will "continue to provide NZ with the best possible venues".
"It’s only normal the local clubs would be worried when NZ’s best clubs are entering their market."
