Strippers in North Hollywood have abandoned their poles in favor of the picket line in a strike over alleged unfair labor practices.
Dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar, California, took to the streets on Thursday evening to protest what they say are violations of federal labor laws and bad-faith bargaining by club management. Workers have also said they have failed to get a contract from their employers and added that they have been kept away from clients due to forming a union.
The dancers were joined by supporters from the Actors Equity Association. The strike is expected to last all weekend, meaning the club's doors remain closed for the time being. In videos from the scene, workers can be heard chanting about "union-busting," the practice of disrupting or preventing the formation of trade unions, while walking around outside the club holding protest banners.
Newsweek has not been able to find a contact for the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar at present.
According to a statement sent to Newsweek by the Actors Equity Association, lawyers representing the strippers "have filed multiple charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over the club's bad faith bargaining; for interfering with employees' ability to earn cash tips; for taking disciplinary actions against employees contrary to the employer's longstanding policies; and for the club owner refusing entry to some union supporters and charging other union supporters higher fees than other patrons; among other unfair practices."
"Since reopening, the club owner has repeatedly violated the settlement agreement," Actors' Equity Association President Kate Shindle said. "The dancers we represent, like other workers, deserve to be treated fairly and with respect for their fundamental rights. That's not happening. We've filed charges with the NLRB and this weekend our members will be picketing outside the club. Instead of performing on the Star Garden stage, they will be dancing in the streets."
Star Garden has denied any allegations of unfair labor practices and said growing operational costs are hampering the business. "Costs mounted, insurance, security, legal fees, but Star Garden kept pushing forward," the club's management said. It also accused dancers of repeatedly acting "in ways that disrupt the business," according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Star Garden does not appear to have mentioned keeping the workers away from the clientele.
One dancer, named Lilith, told news outlet AB7: "The conditions in the club have also been really challenging. There's been a lot of union busting from management and it's become... it's gotten to the point that it has become unworkable for us."
"So, rather than empowering dancers to set their own boundaries and to go to security when we feel unsafe, we're now no longer allowed to be anywhere near customers. We really believe in standing up for strippers and standing up for dancers in this position, and we've come so far, so far that we're not going give up right now," Lilith added.
Workers staged a walk-out in 2022 over abusive treatment and unsafe working conditions. After a year-and-a-half of shuttered doors for the Star Garden, the club's owner reached a settlement with the union in May. The owner agreed to continue operations, negotiate a contract with Equity, and reinstate staff members who had been sacked, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
The dancers at the North Hollywood bar have become the only unionized group of strippers in the country, following the 15-month battle between club management and the employees. The dancers are now members of the Actors' Equity Association labor union.
Dancers returned to work in August after a settlement between the groups was reached. Further negotiations continued between the owner and the union, Strippers United, which was created to represent the workers.
Another dancer, speaking about previous bargaining efforts, told ABC7 on Thursday night: "It was such a huge feat for them to settle with us and to start coming to the bargaining table. It's been really disheartening to be in this position where we are so close to getting a contract, a historical contract."
The last time strippers successfully unionized was in 1996 at the Lusty Lady peep show in San Francisco, California.
Do you work in a strip club? Do you have evidence of, or a story to be told, regarding unfair working practices? Email a.higham@newsweek.com.
Update 12/8/23, 10:53 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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Aliss Higham is a Newsweek reporter based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her focus is reporting on issues across the U.S., including ... Read more
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