Two former dancers at Sammy’s Strip Club in Birmingham, Alabama, have filed a lawsuit against their former employer alleging a number of violations, including a “socialist” tip-sharing system. The dancers claim that the club owners forced them to share their tips among the staff as part of an illegal tipping pool, which they referred to as a socialist economic system. The dancers were allegedly classified as independent contractors and denied minimum wage and overtime as part of this system.
The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Alabama and states that the club owners mandated the dancers to subsidize their co-workers, leading to violations of labor laws. The dancers were reportedly denied minimum wage payments and overtime in an effort to classify them as independent contractors, a practice that the Department of Labor claims is becoming increasingly common in U.S. workplaces as a way to cut costs and avoid compliance with labor laws.
In addition to sharing tips, the dancers also allege that they were forced to pay a kickback, or “house fee,” in order to work at the club. The lawsuit claims that the club owners would increase this fee later in the night as a way to further control the dancers. The former dancers are seeking $100,000 in damages from Sammy’s Gentleman Club in Birmingham.
The lawsuit also includes ten other unnamed Sammy’s employees as defendants, suggesting that additional individuals may have been affected by the alleged violations at the club. Fox News has reached out to Sammy’s Gentlemen Club for comment on the allegations made by the former dancers. The lawsuit raises important issues surrounding labor practices and the treatment of workers in strip clubs and other similar establishments, highlighting the need for stronger enforcement of labor laws to protect workers’ rights and ensure fair compensation in the industry.
