SEX WORK IS WORK!
Dancers at Los Angeles bar to become only unionized strippers in US after 15-month battleBy WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS
AP
TODAY
A protester identified as "Reagan" holds a sign outside the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar on Saturday, March 26, 2022 in the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles. Dancers at the bar, who have for 15 months been seeking safer workplace conditions, better pay and health insurance, among other benefits, are poised to become the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via AP)
A protester identified as "Reagan" holds a sign outside the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar on Saturday, March 26, 2022 in the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles. Dancers at the bar, who have for 15 months been seeking safer workplace conditions, better pay and health insurance, among other benefits, are poised to become the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via AP)
A pedestrian walks past the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar, a club in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles, on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Dancers at the bar are poised to become the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S. today after management withdrew challenges to their upcoming guild election and agreed to recognize the union, the Actors' Equity Association said Tuesday. The dancers from club have been seeking safer workplace conditions, better pay and health insurance, among other benefits for 15 months. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
NEW YORK (AP) — Dancers at a Los Angeles bar could soon become the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S.
The Actors’ Equity Association labor union says owners of the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood have withdrawn their opposition and agreed to recognize the strippers’ union.
For 15 months, dancers at the club have sought safer workplace conditions, better pay and health insurance, among other benefits. But their unionization drive was stalled by objections and legal challenges from the club’s management.
The union announced this week that management had agreed to a settlement. A formal vote count by the National Labor Relations Board has been set for Thursday.
“We’re hoping what we’ve done to unionize this club will have laid the groundwork for any other stripper in the country who decides that they want to also have a voice in the way their workplace is run,” Lilith, a dancer at Star Garden, told The Associated Press. Lilith asked not to be identified by her legal name in this article, due to fears of being harassed or stalked. The AP is aware of her legal name.
After being certified, the Star Garden dancers will join Actors’ Equity, a union representing more than 51,000 workers in the entertainment industry nationwide.
The Star Garden case is not the first time strippers in the U.S. have sought union recognition. In the late 90s, dancers at San Francisco’s Lusty Lady organized the Exotic Dancers Union. But that club was shuttered in 2013 — so, if Thursday’s results are certified by the NLRB as expected, the Star Garden dancers will become the country’s only existing unionized strippers.
Dancers at Los Angeles bar to become unionized
Dancers at a Los Angeles bar could soon become the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S. The Actors’ Equity Association labor union says owners of the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood withdrew their opposition. A formal vote count is set for Thursday. (May 18)
The dancers’ union battle at the Star Garden dates back to March 2022 — after security guards at the club “repeatedly failed to protect” dancers from abusive or threatening patron behavior, and fired those who brought concerns to management, Actors’ Equity said.
“The positive side of Star Garden is that ... it’s where dancers are allowed to express themselves in creative ways. And all of my coworkers looked out for each other — it was like a little family from the start,” Lilith said. “So, when we started noticing that there were some safety concerns that we all had, it didn’t take long for us to band to together and decide we needed to do something about it.”
Lilith recalled a handful of instances that made her and other dancers feel unsafe while working — including a lack of adequate protection from sexual harassment and assault often faced by dancers. Star Garden management told dancers that they couldn’t go directly to security when they felt unsafe, Lilith said — noting that they were instead instructed to go to management, who would decide “if it was a severe enough instance for security to intervene.”
Customers were also allowed to stay in the bar after closing, which made the dancers feel unsafe because patrons could see them dressed “out of our stripper personas” and identify which cars they drove when they went home, she said. According to Lilith, one dancer was fired for bringing up her concerns about this to management. Another dancer was fired for intervening when she noticed a customer filming a coworker on stage without her consent, she added.
After the two coworkers were fired, the Star Garden dancers banned together in efforts to get their jobs back. But after delivering a safety petition to their bosses, they were locked out of work, Lilith said — so they began picketing outside of the club. They later announced their affiliation with Actors’ Equity, which filed for a NLRB guild election on behalf of the group.
According to the union, NLRB conducted the election via mail and planned for a November vote count. But those results were put on hold due to legal challenges from the Star Garden, which challenged the eligibility of some voters. The club also filed for bankruptcy protection.
As part of Tuesday’s settlement, Star Garden agreed to dismiss the bankruptcy filing and reopen the club soon after, attorneys representing Star Garden management said in a statement.
“Star Garden decided to settle, as it has always been a fair and equal opportunity employer, that respects the rights of its employees,” attorneys Josiah R. Jenkins and An Nguyen Ruda said, adding that the club “is committed to negotiating in good faith with Actor’s Equity a first of its kind collective bargaining agreement which is fair to all parties.”
Mori Rubin, who approved the settlement as regional director for NLRB’s Region 31, said she admired “the dancers who had the courage to protest their unsafe working conditions” and was “very pleased” with the settlement.
Lilith and other dancers said they were looking forward to preparing a union contract and returning to work.
“I’m feeling really optimistic about going back,” Lilith said. “It will definitely be surreal being back on that specific stage, but I know we’re going to have our community rallying around us .... And hopefully we’ll be able to show the country how successful a union strip club can be.”
A formal union vote will take place on Thursday and will mark the first time Actors Equity association represents strip club workers
Lois Beckett in Los Angeles
@loisbeckett
THE GUARDIAN
Thu 18 May 2023 06.00 BST
After months of late-night picketing in North Hollywood, the dancers of the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar are poised to become the only unionized strippers in the US.
The dancers’ victory is expected to be finalized with a formal union vote on Thursday morning, and will mark the first time that the Actors Equity association, a century-old union for stage actors, singers and dancers, will represent strip club workers.
The strippers’ campaign featured colorful, costumed protests, and attracted high-profile support, with Amazon Union president Chris Smalls and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine both showing up in solidarity.
For Charlie, a 23-year-old Star Garden dancer, spending eight months of prime weekend nights last year on a picket line rather than working was a financial challenge, but one that proved worth it.
“The sacrifices we made were definitely sacrifices, but it was for something bigger than us,” she said. The dancers were fighting for “a future where unionization exists for strippers who want it. That’s bigger than struggling to pay rent.”
The campaign, which started in March 2022, was galvanized by what dancers said were unsafe working conditions, and what they described as retaliatory firings of dancers who tried to address customers’ dangerous behavior themselves.
After months of late-night picketing in North Hollywood, the dancers of the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar are poised to become the only unionized strippers in the US.
The dancers’ victory is expected to be finalized with a formal union vote on Thursday morning, and will mark the first time that the Actors Equity association, a century-old union for stage actors, singers and dancers, will represent strip club workers.
The strippers’ campaign featured colorful, costumed protests, and attracted high-profile support, with Amazon Union president Chris Smalls and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine both showing up in solidarity.
For Charlie, a 23-year-old Star Garden dancer, spending eight months of prime weekend nights last year on a picket line rather than working was a financial challenge, but one that proved worth it.
“The sacrifices we made were definitely sacrifices, but it was for something bigger than us,” she said. The dancers were fighting for “a future where unionization exists for strippers who want it. That’s bigger than struggling to pay rent.”
The campaign, which started in March 2022, was galvanized by what dancers said were unsafe working conditions, and what they described as retaliatory firings of dancers who tried to address customers’ dangerous behavior themselves.
The dancers at Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood have been campaigning for safer workplace conditions, better pay and health insurance.
Photograph: Richard Vogel/AP
Although Actors’ Equity, which represents more than 50,000 workers, has not organized strip club employees in the past, the union said, the strippers had similar concerns as other performers, from wage theft to post-show security.
“Strippers are live entertainers. While some elements of their job are unique, they are essentially performance artists, and have a lot in common with other Equity members who dance for a living,” Kate Shindle, the union president, said in a statement.
Shindle called the Star Garden dancers “absolute warriors throughout this long process”.
As well as concerns about sexual harassment and dancer safety, the union campaign was driven by labor concerns that strippers share with other workers, such as workplace injuries that affect dancers in their highly physical work, and that make health insurance essential.
“Just walking around in six- to eight-inch heels every night is a lot of wear and tear on your body,” Charlie, the Star Gardens dancer, said.
Strippers also need mental health support, she added, since many patrons want someone willing to listen to their struggles and show empathy, making the job in many ways similar to the emotional labor of being a therapist or a social worker.
“I would say most of my social work experience has been in my underwear,” Charlie said.
She said the union win built on decades of campaigns by sex workers advocating for safe working conditions, and had crucial support from the advocacy group Strippers United.
After more than a year of legal battles, which included the club filing for bankruptcy, the union and the Star Garden owners announced a settlement on Tuesday, which will allow the dancers to proceed with a union vote, and the club to reopen.
“Star Garden is committed to negotiating in good faith with Actor’s Equity a first of its kind collective bargaining agreement which is fair to all parties,” said An Ruda, an attorney for Star Garden, in a statement. “Star Garden decided to settle, as it has always been a fair and equal opportunity employer, that respects the rights of its employees.”
The North Hollywood dancers said they hoped their victory would galvanize new union efforts at other US strip clubs.
“This is not just a win for the dancers at this club, but the entire strip club industry,” said Lilith, a Star Garden dancer, in a statement.
Star Garden’s vote comes a decade after the 2013 closure of the Lusty Lady, a worker-owned club in San Francisco, which unionized with the Service Employees International Union in 1997. At that time, it was the only unionized strip club in the US.
While the Lusty Lady had “a good run”, the California club’s unionization ultimately did not “spark organizing all over the country,” as workers had hoped it would, said Kristina Zinnen, a former Lusty Lady dancer who went on to become a San Francisco labor lawyer.
Over the years, Zinnen said, she’s talked to at least 10 groups of strippers trying to organize their workplaces, but none of those campaigns succeeded. One of the major hurdles to organizing strippers has been finding the right union to back them, Zinnen said.
The new involvement of the powerful and well-resourced Actors Equity was “very significant”, and might signal a broader interest in organizing other clubs.
The Star Garden dancers made a strategic effort to make their picketing entertaining to demonstrate to the club owners, and customers, that “we are the club – without us, the business doesn’t exist,” Charlie said.
Protesting on a North Hollywood street corner until 1am or 2am took stamina, and sometimes came with safety concerns, Charlie said. But the dancers focused on a charm offensive, she said, aiming to “be flirty and strippery” while pushing the labor movement.
The dancers asked patrons to come back another time, visit a different club, or party with them on the picket line rather than going inside, she said.
Each night the picket had a different theme, with costumes and props, from witches to pageant night to dad night (they brought a grill), to big cats. One night, the theme was the environmental and safety violations they were fighting, and dancers dressed up as “broken glass” and “a hole in the stage”.
The strippers also built a following on social media, and used supporters’ contributions to make the 15-month long protest possible, though most dancers also worked other jobs to pay rent, Charlie said. (She worked at a grocery store, among other gigs.)
While it could be “disheartening” when longtime patrons chose to cross the picket line, Charlie said, “the majority of our customers were amazing”, with some actively supporting the labor movement, and others simply deciding to listen to dancers’ advice to come back another time.
Although Actors’ Equity, which represents more than 50,000 workers, has not organized strip club employees in the past, the union said, the strippers had similar concerns as other performers, from wage theft to post-show security.
“Strippers are live entertainers. While some elements of their job are unique, they are essentially performance artists, and have a lot in common with other Equity members who dance for a living,” Kate Shindle, the union president, said in a statement.
Shindle called the Star Garden dancers “absolute warriors throughout this long process”.
As well as concerns about sexual harassment and dancer safety, the union campaign was driven by labor concerns that strippers share with other workers, such as workplace injuries that affect dancers in their highly physical work, and that make health insurance essential.
“Just walking around in six- to eight-inch heels every night is a lot of wear and tear on your body,” Charlie, the Star Gardens dancer, said.
Strippers also need mental health support, she added, since many patrons want someone willing to listen to their struggles and show empathy, making the job in many ways similar to the emotional labor of being a therapist or a social worker.
“I would say most of my social work experience has been in my underwear,” Charlie said.
She said the union win built on decades of campaigns by sex workers advocating for safe working conditions, and had crucial support from the advocacy group Strippers United.
After more than a year of legal battles, which included the club filing for bankruptcy, the union and the Star Garden owners announced a settlement on Tuesday, which will allow the dancers to proceed with a union vote, and the club to reopen.
“Star Garden is committed to negotiating in good faith with Actor’s Equity a first of its kind collective bargaining agreement which is fair to all parties,” said An Ruda, an attorney for Star Garden, in a statement. “Star Garden decided to settle, as it has always been a fair and equal opportunity employer, that respects the rights of its employees.”
The North Hollywood dancers said they hoped their victory would galvanize new union efforts at other US strip clubs.
“This is not just a win for the dancers at this club, but the entire strip club industry,” said Lilith, a Star Garden dancer, in a statement.
Star Garden’s vote comes a decade after the 2013 closure of the Lusty Lady, a worker-owned club in San Francisco, which unionized with the Service Employees International Union in 1997. At that time, it was the only unionized strip club in the US.
While the Lusty Lady had “a good run”, the California club’s unionization ultimately did not “spark organizing all over the country,” as workers had hoped it would, said Kristina Zinnen, a former Lusty Lady dancer who went on to become a San Francisco labor lawyer.
Over the years, Zinnen said, she’s talked to at least 10 groups of strippers trying to organize their workplaces, but none of those campaigns succeeded. One of the major hurdles to organizing strippers has been finding the right union to back them, Zinnen said.
The new involvement of the powerful and well-resourced Actors Equity was “very significant”, and might signal a broader interest in organizing other clubs.
The Star Garden dancers made a strategic effort to make their picketing entertaining to demonstrate to the club owners, and customers, that “we are the club – without us, the business doesn’t exist,” Charlie said.
Protesting on a North Hollywood street corner until 1am or 2am took stamina, and sometimes came with safety concerns, Charlie said. But the dancers focused on a charm offensive, she said, aiming to “be flirty and strippery” while pushing the labor movement.
The dancers asked patrons to come back another time, visit a different club, or party with them on the picket line rather than going inside, she said.
Each night the picket had a different theme, with costumes and props, from witches to pageant night to dad night (they brought a grill), to big cats. One night, the theme was the environmental and safety violations they were fighting, and dancers dressed up as “broken glass” and “a hole in the stage”.
The strippers also built a following on social media, and used supporters’ contributions to make the 15-month long protest possible, though most dancers also worked other jobs to pay rent, Charlie said. (She worked at a grocery store, among other gigs.)
While it could be “disheartening” when longtime patrons chose to cross the picket line, Charlie said, “the majority of our customers were amazing”, with some actively supporting the labor movement, and others simply deciding to listen to dancers’ advice to come back another time.
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