tuscl

First strip club to have unionized dancers.

shadowcat
Atlanta suburb
Dancers at a Los Angeles topless bar are expected to form the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S. later this week, organizers said Tuesday.

The National Labor Relations Board had approved a petition for union recognition election back in October, but Star Garden Topless Dive Bar challenged the validity of certain voters, the Actors' Equity Association said in a statement. The union has worked with the dancers for over a year on their organization efforts, Actors Equity said Tuesday.

An Ruda, a lawyer representing the bar, said a resolution has been reached and the challenges were withdrawn, paving the way for the NLRB to certify the election vote.

"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," Ruda said in a statement.

The bar had also filed for bankruptcy, but agreed to seek a dismissal of the bankruptcy case so that Star Garden can reopen within 30-60 days of the dismissal, the lawyer said. The bar will also bring back dancers who were dismissed last year, according to Actors' Equity.

"This is not just a win for the dancers at this club, but the entire strip club industry," Lilith, a Star Garden dancer, said. "Strippers who want to unionize their workplaces and have a voice in the way their clubs are run now have a clear path forward."

The fight for unionization began in March of 2022 when security at the bar failed to protect dancers from "threatening and abusive behavior for patrons," according to the Actors' Equity Association. Dancers also raised concerns about health and safety issues along with wage theft. They said they were being illegally fired for bringing concerns to management. Star Garden strippers picketed outside the establishment several times as they fought for unionization.

"Every worker who wants a union deserves a union," Actors' Equity Association President Kate Shindle said. "The Star Garden dancers have been absolute warriors throughout this long process, and I'm thrilled that we've won recognition of their rights to safety and democracy in the workplace and representation at the bargaining table."

The NLRB will formally count the unionization votes on Thursday, NPR reported, following a six-month delay.


Will the union would be the only one of its kind in the country, the dancers at Star Garden would not be the first group of strippers in the U.S. to unionize. According to the Actors' Equity Association, dancers at San Francisco's Lusty Lady unionized in 1997, but the bar closed in 2013.

17 comments

  • docsavage
    a year ago
    If they want to have a union that's fine. What really ensures fair treatment of employees, though, is the fear by employers that their best workers will leave and move over to the competition. I've had a number of strip club regulars move to other strip clubs because their manager was treating them poorly.

    It's becoming harder for dancers to move to other clubs now because local governments block the opening of new strip clubs. This gives the old strip clubs a monopoly. It helps the old clubs because they don't need to worry as much about giving customers good service or treating their employees well since potential new strip clubs are being blocked from competing with them.
  • Muddy
    a year ago
    So I guess the hottest strippers are going to be the ones that started working there first?
  • minnow
    a year ago
    SC- Actually 2 other CA clubs had unionized dancers over 20 years ago, 1 in San Diego, 1 in San Francisco. Now dancers with most seniority will get 1st dibs at dances/VIP's. (lol)
  • Brahma2k
    a year ago
    Unión? Like a Maximum of grinding 15 boners before the stripper is required to leave for the day? Requirement of an emergency eye wash station in every private dance area? The required “Our union shop is an equal opportunity employer”?

    Hit the cash machine, sounds like a new tuscl top 10 listing has been born.
  • rickdugan
    a year ago
    I give this club 1 year, 2 tops.
  • Electronman
    a year ago
    I'm holding out for a strike where the dancers walk the picket line in their work clothes, or lack thereof.
  • Papi_Chulo
    a year ago
    A club where the dancers have a large say on how the club is ran ... what can go wrong?

    In a club like this I can see mileage going down if not way down and prices going up if not way up.
  • Papi_Chulo
    a year ago
    I can also see this possibly quickly becoming the norm particularly in blue-states - this particular club may be opening the flood-gates.

    I can also see PLs possibly being accused of harassment for asking for extras or wanting too-much-touching.

    Let's see how it plays out.
  • Papi_Chulo
    a year ago
    Are dancers in all Cali clubs now employees vs ICs per the law that passed a couple of years ago? Has this impacted the Cali clubs or did they stay about the same?
  • Nixur68
    a year ago
    Good for them, does anyone know if the club is good or not?
  • Papi_Chulo
    a year ago
    ^ who do u think is gonna foot-the-bill when these unionized-dancers start making their demand$ - I'll give u hint; it starts with a 'P' and ends with an 'L' and has two letters
  • Papi_Chulo
    a year ago
    History says the few clubs where dancers have gotten to call-the-shots; let's just say those clubs didn't thrive
  • rattdog
    a year ago
    what about unions for bathroom trolls, bartenders and dj's?
  • Studme53
    a year ago
    Unions benefit average to below average employees.

    The hot dancers don’t need a union and if it costs them money (union dues, sharing tips, etc) they’ll just leave and dance somewhere else.

    Then, it’s a death spiral until the place closes.
  • Studme53
    a year ago
    Adam Carolla talks about star garden a lot. He had a girlfriend back in the day who danced there. It’ll be interesting to get his take.
  • Papi_Chulo
    a year ago
    The club only has 22 TUSCL reviews going back all the way to 2010 (as far back as TUSCL reviews currently go).

    Needless to say it wasn't a great club to begin with per TUSCL. Probably the type of club newbies or clueless SCers would bother with.
  • Big_sarge
    a year ago
    There was a dancer in Portland a few years back that was trying to unionize the girls in many of the clubs downtown. Her company and her dances were not enjoyable. It was almost like she hated being at work and thought that men should give her money simply for being...

    Well, I can say I hoped out of that after I got a dance one night when I was a bit too drunk and basically had to listen to a lot of veiled criticisms of men and the clubs in general.

    I doubt this is going to work or last. It just isn't a thing that should be in this industry.
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