What do Chippendales dancers have in common with Disney stalwarts Chip & Dale? Their union.
The famed male dancers, known for their striptease act in Las Vegas, are working with Actors’ Equity to unionize in an effort to obtain higher wagers and benefits. Actors’ Equity, in addition to representing actors and stage managers on Broadway, represents character actors and the parade departments at Disneyland.
The union has asked the Rio hotel and casino, where Chippendales performs, 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,” said the dancers in a statement. “But we also believe our situation here isn’t keeping up with industry standards. In order to continue providing the world-class entertainment that has always been the Chippendales calling card, we need to have a world-class workplace—and that means fair pay, decent benefits, safety, and accountability.”
Beyond Broadway and Disneyland, Actors’ Equity has 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 hospitality union workers reached a tentative deal with the Venetian and Palazzo resorts, a first for employees. That agreement covers 4,000 hotel and casino workers, ranging from housekeepers to bartenders.
That followed last November’s approval of a contract agreement between Caesars Entertainment and 10,000 hospitality workers and other deals with Wynn Entertainment and MGM Resorts.
The Culinary Workers Union, which brokered all of those previous deals, is the largest in Nevada, with over 60,000 members statewide.