Adult dancers of North Hollywood club seek to become first unionized strippers in the country

A group of dancers who work at a North Hollywood topless bar are seeking to become the first unionized strippers in the U.S.

The dancers of Star Garden Topless Dive Bar filed a petition Wednesday for a union recognition election. And if the National Labor Relations Board grants the petition and the dancers vote to unionize, their bargaining unit would be affiliated with Actors' Equity Association, the national labor union affiliated with the AFL-CIO representing more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers working in live theater

"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.

Shindle said the dancers often experience wage theft, health and safety risks and violations, and need health insurance and workers' compensation, just like any other worker. And they are uniquely vulnerable to sexual harassment, discrimination, and unjust terminations.

"We applaud their efforts to seize their collective power and unionize, like so many others across the country who are fed up with toxic workplaces," Shindle said. "When they approached us for support, we did what unions should do: we said yes.''

Dancers at Star Garden began picketing outside the club in March to protest alleged unsafe working conditions with the assistance of Strippers United, an organization that advocates for strippers' rights. The club's dancers say they are not adequately protected from threatening and abusive behavior by patrons.

Club management could not be reached for comment. 

If the NLRB schedules an election date and certifies that a majority of the roughly 30 Star Garden dancers eligible to vote have elected Equity as their bargaining representative, the newly unionized strippers would then begin negotiating their first contract with Star Garden's management.

A rally in support of the dancers is scheduled for Friday night outside Equity's North Hollywood office, after which Shindle and Equity members will join dancers on the picket line at the bar, 6630 Lankershim Blvd.

This is not the first adult dancers in Los Angeles have fought for better working conditions. In 2019, a group of strippers picketed outside the Crazy Girls Club in Hollywood after they say a state court ruling changed their status from independent contractors to actual employees, which led to the club's management keeping a bigger chunk of their tips beyond their hourly wages.