Dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood have launched an unfair labor practices strike just seven months after becoming the nation’s only unionized strippers — a move that will effectively shutter the club until it’s over.
The walkout is set to run Thursday, Dec. 7 through Saturday, Dec. 10.
Attorneys for Actors’ Equity Association, which represents the dancers, have filed multiple charges with the National Labor Relations Board over the club’s alleged bad faith bargaining.
They say Star Garden has interfered with the strippers’ ability to earn cash tips and taken undue disciplinary actions against dancers. They also claim the owner has refused entry to some union supporters and charged other union supporters higher fees to enter the club.
Star Garden temporarily shuttered earlier this year amid heavy protests. But the club’s owner reached a settlement with the union in May and agreed to continue operations, negotiate a contract with Equity and bring back dancers who had been dismissed.
The club reopened in August and labor negotiations are ongoing. The next bargaining session is Tuesday, Dec. 12.
“Since reopening, the club owner has repeatedly violated the settlement agreement,” Actors’ Equity President Kate Shindle said. “The dancers we represent, like other workers, deserve to be treated fairly and with respect for their fundamental rights.”
Shindle said the strike will send a strong visual message.
“Instead of performing on the Star Garden stage, they will be dancing in the streets,” she said.
In a statement issued Thursday, Star Garden denied engaging in unfair labor practices and said it has faced mounting operating expenses since reopening in August. The club said it has averaged fewer than eight customers a night over the past three months.
“Costs mounted – insurance, security, legal fees – but Star Garden kept pushing forward,” the management said.
Star Garden added that dancers have…
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