LOS ANGELES — Months after dancers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar voted unanimously to become the nation’s only unionized strippers, the North Hollywood club’s entertainers are on strike over alleged unfair labor practices, attorneys said.
The walkout is scheduled to last through Saturday, Dec. 9, with picketing expected outside the bar.
Lawyers for the Actors’ Equity Association, which represents the Star Garden strippers, say they’ve filed multiple charges with the National Labor Relations Board over the club’s alleged interference with employees’ ability to earn cash tips.
The union also alleges disciplinary actions were taken against dancers contrary to the club’s longstanding policies and that the club owner has refused entry to some union supporters and charged others higher fees.
Calls to the club — which is closed for business during the labor action — went unanswered.
In May, following 15 months of street protests by Star Garden’s dancers, largely over unsafe conditions, arbitrary dismissals and poor working environment. Star Garden’s owners reached a settlement with the union and agreed to continue the club’s operations, negotiate a contract with the union and to bring back dancers who were dismissed.
Contract negotiations began in August, and the club reopened that same month. Contract talks are ongoing, with the next bargaining session scheduled Tuesday.
“Since reopening, the club owner has repeatedly violated the settlement agreement,” Actors’ Equity Association President Kate Shindle said in a statement.
“The dancers we represent, like other workers, deserve to be treated fairly and with respect for their fundamental rights. That’s not happening. We’ve filed charges with the NLRB and this weekend our members will be picketing outside the club. Instead of performing on the Star Garden stage, they will be dancing in the streets.”
In March 2022, the roughly 30 dancers at Star Garden began…
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