The Chippendales dancers are looking to unionize

The famous dancers, known for their Las Vegas strip show, are working with Actors’ Equity to unionize in an effort to get higher pay and benefits. Actors’ Equity, in addition to representing actors and stage managers on Broadway, also represents character actors and the parade departments at Disneyland.

The union has asked the Rio Hotel and Casino, where Chippendales operates, for voluntary recognition and has also filed with the National Labor Relations Board for an election.

“We love Chippendales and value being a part of this incredible institution,” the dancers said in a statement. “But we also believe that our situation here is not keeping up with industry standards. To continue to provide the world-class entertainment that has always been Chippendales’ calling card, we must have a world-class workplace – and that means fair pay, decent benefits, safety and responsibility.”

Beyond Broadway and Disneyland, Actors’ Equity also led unionization efforts at two strip clubs in the western half of the country—one in Oregon and one in California.

Las Vegas has been the center of other union activity lately. In August, thousands of unionized hospitality workers reached a tentative agreement with the Venetian and Palazzo resorts, a first for employees. This agreement covers 4,000 hotel and casino employees, from housekeepers to bartenders.

This follows the approval last November of a contract agreement between Caesars Entertainment and 10,000 hospitality workers and other agreements with Wynn Entertainment and MGM Resorts.

The Culinary Workers Union, which brokered all of these previous agreements, is the largest in Nevada, with more than 60,000 members nationwide.