Thread: Negotiating rates at ME restaurants...

So i schedule the restaurant here, and I wanted to make sure we were all consistent in what we charge for dancing...but what if the owner isn't willing to pay everyone the same rate? What then?

I have explained to him our rates, but if he isn't willing to pay as much for some dancers, I can only assume that they can either agree to accept that, or refuse to perform. He's the boss, I can't force him to pay everyone the same way. What to do? Does one person usually negotiate equivalent rates for everyone, or do individuals negotiate their own rates?

I was trying to prevent undercutting, and get fair rates for everyone and similar shows for the manager, but I'm flying by the seat of my pants here... learning as I go! .w.:

Everyone doesn't have to get the same rate but they do have to get the agreed up on minimum...dancers that can command a higher rate should be able to do so. It's only when you accept lower than the minimum that you are undercutting.

~~Kimahri

most places i have worked, the venue pays a certain amount per show. that amount is the same for all soloists.

3 cheers for your efforts against undercutting :)

I can't help Sonja, just wanted to say Hi & good luck!

I think Kimahri has the right idea. Some dancers are in more demand, have a bigger draw, have enough moxie to demand more $$--good for them, if they get more money. Its when they accept less money that it becomes a problem. The approach I would recommend in this scenario is to try and get the dancers on the same page about a minimum rate for restaurants, form a local union of sorts... not sure what going on in your local professional scene but most markets have something like a union...

My personal opinion is that if you're good enough to get into the restaurant and make it into the consistent rotation, you deserve fair and equal pay. Why are some of the dancers slated to get less money? Are they less experienced or student dancers? Does the owner feel that they're too fat/thin/blonde/old/etc.? Is Annie Undercutter knocking down their door when you're not looking and the owner's making a last ditch effort to match prices? Can the owner provide you a sound and logical explanation, or is he talking out of his a**?

My psychic intuition is that you need to dig deeper, because I think there *could* be a missing component to the story.

Now, if one of the girls is an award-winning, especially sought-after performer with tons of experience under her belt, then yeah - she should be incentivized to stay there by being paid according to her experience level.

But if everyone's at roughly the same level of experience, market demand and skill, there's no excuse for some dancers to get the shaft. Dancers talk, after all. If word gets out that some girls are making more than others and there isn't a clear reason why, this could cause the dancers to turn against each other or the owner. After all, a gig is a gig is a gig: I'd be pissed if I put the same amount of time, money, travel time, and preparation into a gig as a colleague with equal experience, but earned $25 less.

Regardless, I would suggest that you do everything in your power to step up to bat for the dancers. Maybe I'm jaded from things going on in my day job with certain bar-owning clients of mine, but I have a really funny feeling about this. Gonna have to think some more...

I work at some places that pay everyone the same and some places that pay with slight variation.
What Kimrahi and Nayastrance said is true of places with variance in pay. It's only "undercutting" if the lowest paid dancer is below the local standard.
I applaud you for working for higher rates for everyone Sonja! :)