User:Olivia2283/Sex worker unions in the United States

Sex worker labor unions in the United States

Sex worker labor unions are organizations that specifically represent sex workers and advocate for better workplace conditions, benefits, and protections for them. For sex worker labor unions, better workplace conditions means pushing for the same treatment and benefits workers and employees in traditional industries receive, sick pay, accident compensation, protection from exploitation, and health regulations and protections. As of 2021, there is not one umbrella organization that represents or encompasses all legal sex workers in the United States.

First successful sex worker unionization

In 1997, workers at the Lusty Lady, a female-managed peep-show establishment and stripper club in San Francisco, were the first group of sex workers to successfully unionize and achieve better working conditions for themselves through unionization. Unionizing efforts first began at the Lusty Lady due to the establishment installing one-way mirrors that allowed for customers to take pictures or videos of the workers without their knowing, a lack of health and safety regulations being enforced, and continuous problems with disciplinary policies. One former Lusty Lady dancer, Siobhan Brooks, also noted that unionizing efforts began because of racist policies being implemented and executed at the club. Brooks described how women of color rarely were allowed to perform in the private booths where customers could pay more to have a one-on-one show with a dancer and often times would not be allowed to dance with other performers on stage while white women were allowed to.

After agreeing to organize, the Lusty Lady workers decided to join the Exotic Dancers Union, which was apart of the Service Employees International Union Local 790 and AFL–CIO in 1997.