Hollywood exotic dancers become only unionized strippers in US after petitioning for 'dignity and respect'

Lilith, a dancer at Star Garden, said the outcome is a win for the entire industry

Dancers at North Hollywood's Star Garden Topless Dive Bar were handed a big win Tuesday after management dropped challenges to the dancers' guild election, creating the first union of strippers since those at San Francisco's now-defunct Lusty Lady Peepshow organized the Exotic Dancers Union in 1996.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the outcome of the 15-month battle relieved dancers who petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for better working conditions beginning last year after club security guards allegedly failed to protect dancers from unruly customers.

"We demand to be treated with basic dignity and respect," the petition read, per the outlet's report.

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Lilith, a dancer at the club, called the outcome a "win" not only for dancers at Star Garden, but also for those across the entire industry. 

"Strippers who want to unionize their workplaces and have a voice in the way their clubs are run now have a clear path forward," she said, according to The Blaze.

The dancers will be represented by the Actors' Equity Union, a labor union that focuses on those specializing in live theatrical performances.

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Kendra performs at the '2001 Odyssey' strip club on August 25, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Efforts to unionize for strippers could become easier following success for a group of exotic dancers at a North Hollywood topless bar. (Getty Images)

The union currently represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers in the live theater industry.

Kate Shindle, president of Actors' Equity told Deadline last year that the dancers are deserving of basic protections from "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," she said. "When they approached us for support, we did what unions should do: We said yes."

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Actors Equity also tweeted about the outcome on Tuesday, calling it a "victory."

"After a 15-month effort, the strippers of Star Gardens Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood, CA have achieved their goal of union recognition – Congratulations! Next step: a fair contract for these workers," the post read.

Of the approximately 30 dancers currently employed at Star Garden, 19 are eligible to join the union, according to The L.A. Times' report.

Star Garden and Actors' Equity did not immediately respond to request for comment.