Strippers Are Succesfully Unionizing — And It’s a Win for Hollywood, Too
With active strikes across the U.S., the latest union win is a win for all industries.
In today’s sex-positive news, Portland strip club, Magic Tavern, becomes the second strip club in the United States to successfully unionize for sex workers. Here’s what this means for the overall labor movement.
Magic Tavern dancers petitioned for a union on April 4, 2023 after numerous complaints regarding their safety in the workplace. Problems ranged from no locks on dressing room doors, a major safety hazard for women, a “mysterious gas smell emanating from the kitchen,” and racial discrimination to improperly installed equipment and an overall lack of security. Conditions were dire and ignored — until now.
On September 7, five months after the petition went public, the Magic Tavern was officially unionized. As KPTV reported, “The vote was unanimous with all 16 employees in favor of union representation.”
As Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association shared, “This is proof that strippers joining a union is no fluke, and that workers who want a union can have a union.” Exotic dancing is a highly consumed art and entertainment form in the U.S., for everyone from the working class to highly acclaimed politicians, however, it’s notoriously disrespected.
The ability of dancers to openly fight for their rights and receive assistance is a sign for workers worldwide. “It’s also a win for the labor movement,” Shindle continued. “Particularly those in stigmatized and marginalized industries where their needs are routinely overlooked or ignored. We are eager to get to the bargaining table and get them back into their club.”
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