Union bosses have come up with shock new tactics to get prostitutes off the streets - offering them Government funded training to become LAP-DANCERS instead. Earlier this year the General, Municipal and Boilermakers Union (GMB) opened its doors to sex industry workers, including hookers and porn stars. Now it is trying to help the women take up a more respectable career in strip clubs, and offering them subsidised how to do it courses. But last night the scheme was slammed by Spearmint Rhino, who run two lap-dancing venues in Birmingham, including the largest in Europe. It labelled the move foolhardy and unwelcome, claiming it demonstrated a common mis-conception about the striptease industry. The lap-dancing courses were one of several measures discussed at a Birmingham conference for sex industry workers hosted by the GMB. During the event Metropolitan Police commander Andy Baker also backed calls for the introduction of tolerance zones for prostitutes. Ana Lopes, spokeswoman for the International Sex Workers Union (ISWU), a branch of the GMB, told the conference the new lap-dancing classes were very popular. Now the cut-price lessons are thought to be running in all major cities - subsidised by union members and Government funds. A GMB leaflet, handed out to prostitutes at the conference, said: Learn table-dancing or the art of striptease. Qualified instructors will help you develop your skills to become a more successful and confident performer. Last night a spokeswoman for the ISWU said: The poll-dancing classes are relevant to people already in the industry who wish to improve their performances, and those looking for a change of profession. It is also a way that we can get sex workers off the street and into a safer and more legal profession within the sex industry. Birmingham City councillor Deidre Alden said she supported any measures which took prostitutes off the streets The Conservative councillor for Edgbaston, where sex workers are prevalent, said: Im certainly in favour of taking prostitution off the streets of Birmingham. Its a great idea to encourage them to change their profession although I wish they had chosen something a bit better than lap-dancing. Clearly its nowhere near as bad as street prostitution but both these jobs are using women. But Simon Warr, president of Spearmint Rhinos European division, rejected the councillors comments and the new scheme. These comments are foolhardy and unwelcome, he said. They demonstrate the misconception of the lap-dancing industry and lack of foresight from the union. There is no correlation whatsoever between lap-dancing and prostitution. Lap-dancing is a form of entertainment regulated by the Government through local authority bodies. Spearmint Rhino would encourage anyone to consider lapdancing as a short or long-term career. We would suggest that if so inclined, prostitutes should train for whatever career path they have. But suggesting that lap-dancing is the only solution to solve the problem of prostitution is ludicrous. As an industry we work closely with the police to minimise the risk of prostitution within licensed premises. | 
