As a movement, we have too often kept quiet about our poor working conditions, fearing that prohibitionists would weaponize this information to deprive us of agency and discredit us. Our silence doesn’t mean we haven’t resisted daily: whether at work or at home, we have implemented tactics to fight against abuse, violence, or simple everyday frustrations.

This year, the Sex Work Autonomous Committee (SWAC) conducted a militant inquiry in massage parlors to document working conditions. We conducted 14 interviews with massage workers, primarily in Montreal. The goal was to understand the tactics workers use to resist workplace abuse, and to transform this analysis into collective action strategies.

Our initiative is inspired by the tradition of worker inquiry, combining knowledge production and political organizing. We make no claim to scientific objectivity. Instead, we deliberately side with our colleagues, as our approach is also a form of collective workplace organizing. This is co-research where knowledge is created “bottom up.”

Before proceeding with the analysis of the data collected, it is essential to situate ourselves as investigators. We who designed this project come from different work environments. Although some of us have been massage workers, we currently do not work in that field. We are independent escorts with experience in employer-controlled environments, such as strip clubs or massage parlors. This analysis and the organizational proposals presented are the result of our discussions with massage workers during the investigation and our experience in the sex industry. We hope these ideas can serve as a starting point for broader discussions on organizing sex workers (SWers).

Social Composition

Entry into the Sex Industry

Among the reasons cited by the participants for entering the industry, one constant emerges: economic needs. Many mentioned being full-time students or wanting to leave low-wage jobs in service and hospitality for higher earnings in fewer hours. Some were introduced to the industry by a friend already working in it.

For others, precarious situations pushed them to choose sex work. One participant described facing a major employment constraint that prevents full-time work. Because social assistance couldn’t meet their basic needs amidst rising living costs, sex work became a way to alleviate financial distress. Another person cited their precarious immigration status as a reason to take undocumented work, helping cover costs related to regularizing their status in Canada. One participant wanted to get out of an abusive relationship.

For nearly half the participants, massage parlors were their entry point into the sex industry. However, many didn’t stay long. Faced with abusive conditions in massage parlors, many turned to independent work to improve conditions and income. This is a common path in the industry, whether by choice or because a boss fires them after a conflict; the idea of taking control of one’s work (schedule, rates, conditions, etc.) appeals to many.

Sex Work and Precarity

The realities faced by the workers interviewed are a far cry from the glamorous image shown in some popular media. Reality is much more complex. While it can improve economic conditions, SWers often combine multiple income sources to maintain a standard of living they consider decent. Their income remains unstable and precarious.

Indeed, many participants found it hard to estimate their earnings due to a high level of monthly variability. Workers often juggle multiple hustles, combining massage parlor work with independent escorting, stripping, camming, or creating sexual content online (e.g., OnlyFans).

Half the participants also had jobs outside the sex industry, in fields like healthcare, culture, research, and agriculture. Some were students receiving loans and bursaries, while one relied on social assistance with severe employment constraints. In this way, sex work becomes a means to supplement insufficient income in order to live with dignity.

That being said, with the instability comes the advantage of flexibility. One massage worker noted that despite difficult working conditions and unstable income, quick cash and flexible hours made it worthwhile. This point is essential to bear in mind as we continue the fight. Indeed, this kind of freedom is increasingly sought after by workers of all kinds today. This reflects an aspiration for more free time and shorter working hours, which helps explain the attraction of massage parlor work, and sex work more broadly. Maintaining this flexibility must be central to our demands, as it is an advantage that workers do not want to lose.

Working Conditions

This part of the analysis offers an opportunity to reflect on how work is organized in massage parlors: how is it divided? What are the power dynamics? We also asked participants about their experiences with working conditions. The main issues raised were related to hygiene and violence.

Organization of Work

The Boss:

Massage parlor owners are men, women, and in one case, a queer person. Women owners are often former massage workers or secretaries.

Employers are frequently described as abusive, narcissistic, and invalidating. There was no notable difference in that regard according to gender, though women were said to have a more nurturing side, according to those interviewed. Many bosses were described as manipulative people who engage in psychological games to exploit employees. In several instances, bosses made demeaning comments about the massage workers’ looks or weight, or made racist remarks. Another common grievance was that bosses tend to support clients over their workers in situations involving violence. Moreover, in at least two massage parlors, employers had sexual relationships with workers, which led to power imbalances and instances of abuse. Workers noted that bosses often play favorites, deepening divisions and creating an unhealthy work environment.

In some cases, the employer was absent from the workplace most of the time, and it was the secretary who managed the premises and took on the role of the boss.

The Secretary:

Secretaries are generally in charge of greeting clients and handling room payments. They are almost always women. Secretaries can be allies to massage workers when it comes to sharing information about clients. Some, for instance, warn workers if a client has a history of violence. In certain massage parlors, there is also a manager who acts as a bouncer.

However, in some cases, particularly when the boss is absent, secretaries also enforce discipline. Five massage workers reported being subjected to violence, especially psychological violence, at the hands of secretaries.

The Massage Workers:

Massage workers are the backbone of their workplaces. Without them, there would be no massage parlor. They provide erotic massages (including masturbation), with or without extras.¹

In massage parlors that offer extras, workers typically negotiate services directly with the client, who then pays them directly. Generally, it is the workers who determine the price, but some parlors set a minimum or maximum rate. One parlor even established a pricing chart for each extra service. Sometimes, employers pressure workers to lower their prices. In some cases, workers discuss and agree together on rates for each service. However, some respondents reported preferring to avoid talking about their services to prevent tension or competition with colleagues. For example, a few workers mentioned that certain extras, like barebacking,² were taboo.

In one parlor, the employer attempted to have extras paid by clients directly to the secretary at the time of room payment. This change was not well-received by the workers, who lost their ability to negotiate with clients. This situation led to significant protests and several firings. This arrangement does not appear to be the norm in massage parlors.

Workers in parlors that do not offer extras stated that clients generally expect extras to be provided. They reported having to constantly refuse these requests, prompting some workers to prefer parlors where extras are allowed. If they themselves did not provide extras, they strongly suspected others of doing so. And if some workers did offer extras, they did so despite the risk of being reported by clients to management and subsequently fired. Additionally, in these parlors, having condoms is forbidden, forcing SWers who offer full services to hide them.

Another part of the massage workers’ job is housekeeping. They are generally expected to clean the rooms, showers, and sometimes do the laundry after each session. Often, cleaning other common areas is a responsibility assigned to nobody, so some workers take it upon themselves to do it. We will elaborate further on housekeeping tasks in the next section.

Cleanliness and Hygiene

The results of our inquiry regarding cleanliness and hygiene are split into two extremes: some participants reported being very satisfied, while others reported being disgusted. As previously mentioned, massage workers handle a significant portion of the housekeeping in massage parlors. After an appointment, they are required to disinfect the mattress, change the sheets, empty the trash, put towels in the wash, and complete other basic tasks. A frequently mentioned issue was the lack of cleaning supplies and tools, which makes it difficult to perform these duties.

When it comes to general maintenance, one thing was clear: these tasks are generally neglected. In this category, participants mentioned duties such as cleaning showers, mirrors, floors, and common areas. As noted earlier, responsibilities and roles in massage parlors are ambiguous; this work is rarely assigned to anyone in particular. With the exception of one massage parlor that reportedly has a cleaner come in every two weeks, the cleaning is usually done by massage workers, or sometimes by the secretary, highlighting the gendered nature of these tasks. Moreover, this labor is unpaid: apart from direct compensation from clients, no remuneration is provided for this recurrent maintenance work. Yet, the massage parlor charges clients for use of the rooms.

Some participants reported extreme unsanitary conditions in their workplaces, caused by infestations of rats and bedbugs, mold, water leaks, cracks in the ceiling and floors, etc. In response to these hazardous working conditions, workers’ complaints are rarely addressed: either the employer outright ignores their requests, or does a half-hearted job at best.

Violence and Insecurity at Work

The violence experienced in massage parlors is multifaceted, and sometimes insidious. All respondents reported having experienced violence, which came from clients, receptionists, bosses, and, more rarely, from their colleagues or the police.

Clients in massage parlors are the primary perpetrators of violence. The most frequently reported acts were sexual and physical assaults: forcing acts that were not previously negotiated, removing or attempting to remove condoms, choking, restraining, and hitting. Several respondents also mentioned economic abuse, such as refusal to pay, haggling over rates, and theft. Additionally, psychological and verbal abuse, including derogatory remarks, death threats, and racist, homophobic, and misogynistic comments, were common.

From management, meaning secretaries and bosses, the reported violence was primarily economic, verbal, and psychological. An issue that came up repeatedly is the financial sanctions imposed by management. In one massage parlor, the boss imposed a $20 fine if a condom wrapper was left in the room. Other reported abuses included practices forbidden by labor regulations: requiring longer shifts, forbidding workers from going outside during the entirety of their shift, harassment, closing the parlor without notice, arbitrary dismissal, surveillance of communal spaces via microphones, assaults, etc. Several massage workers decided to leave of their own accord, tired of being belittled for their appearance. Body hair, hairstyles, wearing high heels, lingerie, and makeup — massage workers are expected to conform to standards of femininity imposed by the boss and secretary.

More rarely, the feeling of insecurity came from coworkers’ behavior. Some respondents mentioned that the whorearchy³ creates power dynamics between “decent” massage workers and those who are looked down upon for their practices. These acts are sometimes judged as dirty or impure, and at other times seen as a way to get all the clients.

Finally, external factors can create insecurity for workers. Notably, some mentioned constant police surveillance, with officers sometimes photographing workers’ license plates. Some massage workers reported police raids on their parlors, where officers posed as clients to receive services.

Collective and Individual Resistance Strategies

Massage workers resist on a daily basis. Faced with an authoritarian boss and the absence of rights, sex workers must find ways to regain control. Individual strategies reported ranged from pretending to have their period to finish early, to committing acts of vandalism. Sometimes, resistance also meant leaving their workplace to work as independent escorts, or finding a safer parlor. These strategies are an expression of a refusal of work that must be acknowledged as such if we want to turn it into collective resistance strategies.

During interviews, massage workers shared their strategies for supporting and organizing with their colleagues. They shared important information about pushy and violent clients and how to work with them while maintaining boundaries. One person’s experience also benefits others when it comes to confronting the boss or the secretary about their abusive behaviors. Several reported grouping together to discuss their conditions, formulate proposals, select a representative to speak to the boss, or speak together as a united front. For example, in one massage parlor, workers united to demand the extermination of bedbugs in their workplace. In another setting, workers protested against the introduction of the policy of clients paying for extras at reception. In that case, workers organized meetings to discuss the situation and decide who would speak to the employer. Very often, this strategy ended in dismissals.

Finally, some mentioned organizing outside of massage parlors with colleagues to give each other advice and help secure better job opportunities by sharing information about safer environments, or ways to work independently. A few massage workers also mentioned organizing through SWAC.

So, What Now?

Our Proposals

This analysis of massage workers’ labor provides useful insights for the political organization of sex workers in the workplace. These proposals are meant to be discussed in groups and adapted to different settings before being put into action. Nevertheless, we believe it is important to present them in order to move beyond mere data collection and advance the fight to improve our working conditions.

First, working organization could be negotiated with the employer. Regarding extras, workers would benefit from discussing the rates they want to set for each service, and imposing them on the boss. The decision to allow extras in a parlor should also be a collective one, determined by the massage workers. Additionally, housekeeping tasks should either be fully covered by the employer — since the client pays for the room rental — or be compensated. Standardizing the rates for extras would also help increase solidarity.

Next, violence remains a major issue to combat in massage parlors. The primary problem is that violent clients are often tolerated because they provide income for the parlor. Worse still, a client’s history of violence is often not disclosed to new workers. We believe that the right to refuse a client should be fundamental, and should include access to the client’s history. The decision to ban a client from the parlor should be left to the workers. Violent incidents could be documented and shared between parlors in the form of a blacklist.

However, given the issue of wrongful dismissals in massage parlors, achieving these gains will not be easy. To succeed, unity among massage workers is essential. In the cases we studied, the dismissal of the most militant workers brought mobilizations to an end. Therefore, organizing against dismissals is critical.

We believe that the creation of an autonomous union is essential for the organization of SWers. This isn’t for the legal protections it provides, since our work is illegal, but because of the powerful and necessary organization it enables. Through a union, we can carry out collective actions and shift the balance of power in our favor. Pressure tactics such as strikes, picketing, collective resignations, and more could be considered. These actions disrupt the normal course of operations and jeopardize the employer’s revenue, thus forcing them to make concessions. This way, we can negotiate new working conditions and fight back against repression, such as wrongful dismissals.

From the beginning, we have said that sex work is work! The workers’ movement has fought in countless ways against employers. SWers are creative and will undoubtedly develop powerful tactics to bring these strategies to life in their workplaces.

The Sex Work Autonomous Committee (SWAC) is a Montreal-based collective led by and for sex workers, fighting for improved working conditions and the decriminalization of sex work. This article was first published in their annual magazine, SWAC Attacks, their main tool for workplace organizing. This article was also published in French in Revue Ouvrage, an online magazine exploring autonomous theory and praxis. Artwork by Zero.