Performers at a Los Angeles strip club took their first steps toward unionization on Wednesday, becoming the latest US workers to seek collective bargaining power.
Dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar petitioned the federal government, beginning a process in which they could be represented by the artists’ union Actors’ Equity, in what officials described as a premiere.
“We like what we do,” said Velveeta, a Star Garden dancer. “We would like our jobs even more if we had basic labor protections.”
Equity already represents over 51,000 artists and stage managers across the United States, many in and around Los Angeles.
“Strippers are live entertainers, and while some aspects of their job are unique, they have much in common with other Equity members who dance for a living,” said Kate Shindle, President of the Actors’ Equity Association.
“These dancers reported ongoing compensation issues — including significant wage theft — along with health and safety risks and violations.
“They want health insurance and other benefits like workers’ compensation. They need protection from sexual harassment, discrimination and unfair dismissal.”
The petition has been submitted to the National Labor Relations Board, which must now schedule a vote for the 30 or so eligible strippers.
If a majority votes to form a union, Equity begins negotiating a new contract with Star Garden on their behalf.
Meanwhile, the exotic dancers say they’ll be demoing the North Hollywood club with what Equity called a “public information campaign to engage Star Garden’s patrons.”
The campaign is supported by Strippers United, a non-profit group that fights for dancers’ rights.
No one at Star Garden, which averages four stars on Yelp, answered the phone when AFP called Wednesday.
While Equity has never had stripper members, this isn’t the first time Ecdysiasts have organized around the United States.
Dancers who worked at San Francisco’s Lusty Lady formed the Exotic Dancers Union in 1996, Equity noted. This club closed its doors in 2013.
Wednesday’s move comes amid rising interest in unionization among workers across the United States, with employees at several Starbucks locations being among the most prominent.
In the first three quarters of fiscal 2022 — October 1 through June 30 — 1,935 union campaigns were filed with the National Labor Relations Board, up 56 percent from the prior year.
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