The Principle Of Pay

I’m probably going to get some heat for this next article, but I don’t care. Every article I have ever posted has been very diplomatic and politically correct, but now it’s time to write about something that has been irking me for a while.

A lot of people have asked me why I am not wrestling within Ontario as frequently as I once did. I used to wrestle every single weekend for an Ontario promotion, but over the past year, I have taken a step back. This is not because I hate wrestling, nor is it because I am losing my passion for being in the ring, nor is it because I am no longer being offered bookings. In fact, I have declined several bookings. Why, you ask? It comes down to the principle of pay.

Now first let me state, that this is not a problem specific to Ontario. Every single Province or State has its’ own issues with this matter. I only use Ontario as an example because it is my home, and it is where I face this problem most often.

I have been wrestling for almost five years now. When I first started, I did everything I could to gain experience in the ring, and learn from as many people as possible. I still hold this mindset every time I step into the ring. There is always something to learn, and so many to learn from.

One of the main rules that my trainers drilled home, was the need to be paid for your work. When a wrestler steps into the ring, it is as much a job as it is a passion and joy. We provide a service. We are athletic entertainers. We put our bodies and our lives on the line every time we step in front of a crowd and deliver a match. It is a job.

Unfortunately, many “workers” don’t see this as such. They are so desperate to get in the ring, and will do anything to get in front of a crowd, which includes working for free, or working for next-to-nothing. This ideology perplexes and angers me on so many levels.

I give you an analogy to demonstrate part of my point. If I was looking for a shoot job within an organization, I would go in for an interview, sell myself, do my best to show my skills and qualifications, and then start at a set wage within the company if I was chosen as the successful candidate for the position. If I failed at my interview, and another candidate was selected, I would move on and attempt to land another job.

What I WOULDN'T do is go back to the company and tell them that I desperately wanted the position, and would do anything to get it. This would include undercutting the successful candidate, and possibly working for free.

In turn, the company would not look at me and suggest that this would be a feasible, money-saving solution, even though my skills were under par, and my qualifications nowhere near those of the successful candidate.

The same principle should apply to wrestling. Now don’t get me wrong. If a wrestler is first starting out, they don’t have the right to demand a ridiculously high wage for their work. However, when first starting out, a wrestler should always get some sort of financial compensation for their efforts. As one’s experience, skill, and marketability grow, then a worker may choose whether or not to increase his or her wage.

I also want to state, that I am not a money-hungry diva. It is not the dollar signs that attract me to wrestling. If I was money-driven, I wouldn’t be anywhere near independent wrestling. It is the PRINCIPLE of the matter.

Now how does this apply to me?

When a promoter calls, and offers a booking, he or she always asks how much I charge. I reply with my price, and then often get a response back stating that “so-and-so is coming in to work for free,” or “so-and-so is coming in for $20, so can you come in for the same?”

When I reply: “No, this is my price,” I often get a response saying “Well, we’re going to go with lady x and her friend because we can get both of them for what it would cost for just you.”

When you “hire,” people who will work for free, there has to be some reason as to why they’re willing to do that. Could it possibly be because they can’t seem to get booked anywhere else? Could it be because they’re untrained and dangerous? Could it be because they know in order to get booked, they have to undercut the workers who have struggled to pay their dues, who have learned to be safe, and to be professionals?

Promoters are equally to blame. Many will do anything to save a buck, because it is very hard to make money off independent shows. In fact, promoters are very lucky to break even these days. They will gladly trade a solid worker at a higher price, for a crappy, skinny, dangerous douche who will work for a trade-off in t-shirts and DVDs.

What about the vets in the business? They are a dying breed that are very much needed at this point in time. Many of them can’t get booked because of people constantly undercutting them. The locker room leaders, teachers, guides, and protectors of the business are affected in all this as well.

Is it any wonder that the independent scene is on such a downward spiral, and the quality of the product is being drawn into a vortex of subpar shows?

As angry as I am by all this, I still love wrestling. I will still continue to wrestle, but I will stick to my guns regarding my morals and values within the business. If the independent wrestling circuit is the shits right now, I am going to do my part to uphold the values and principles that were instilled in me by my trainers. It is something that every worker should take to heart.

Remember folks, you get what you pay for.

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