The strippers of a North Hollywood club, Star Garden Topless Dive Bar, are now the United States’ first unionized strippers after joining Actors’ Equity following a 15-month fight with the owners of the bar. Yes! I love when strippers work together! Except when they drug and steal from men, but that was one time and Jennifer Lopez already went to prison for that–oh wait, that’s just the movie Hustlers.
The dancers began picketing the Star Garden after fellow dancers were fired for speaking up about the failure of security guards at the club to keep them safe from the threatening and abusive behavior of patrons. And now, these strippers are members of Equity, which is the union that represents performers in stage productions throughout the country. The dancers of Star Garden are Equity’s first strippers in the union, and everyone is thrilled! via Deadline:
In a statement released by Equity, one of the Star Garden dancers who goes by the single name Reagan said, “If you have been following our journey, then you know this has been a long, exhausting fight, which is why this victory is so sweet. We put everything we have into this campaign, and we were fortunate to have the support and solidarity from the club’s patrons, our allies and friends, the labor movement and our union, Actors’ Equity Association.”
“…I’m excited that all of my beautiful coworkers will finally have a seat at the table and a voice to discuss safety and other issues,” said dancer Sinder. “This is a big day for us and dancers everywhere.”
“…Strippers are live entertainers,” said Equity President, Kate Shindle. “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. Every worker who wants a union deserves a union. 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 owners of the bar and union attorneys will now meet within 30 days to negotiate their first contract. The club will reopen and the fired dancers will be offered their jobs back.
I hope that when these people negotiate the contracts there’s something in them that stops any patron from coming in there with fake gag money for promotional purposes. After that Ushbucks fiasco with Usher, we don’t need strippers confused about their money.
Pic: Sipa USA via AP