Strippers in North Hollywood are unionizing, demanding better working conditions

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Strippers at Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood rallied Friday, trying to pressure the owners of Star Garden to recognize their newly created union.

The group rallied outside Star Garden on Friday the 13th demanding that the establishment's owners sign the agreement to voluntarily recognize the new independent union, Strippers United.

In an industry infamous for a lack of basic worker protections, these women and their allies are fighting for better working conditions, and safety from workplace abuse.

The unionization effort at Star Garden reflects a growing trend within non-traditional industries where workers are stepping away from the cultural expectation to "just leave" when conditions are unacceptable.

The last time strippers successfully unionized was in 1996 at the Lusty Lady Peepshow in San Francisco.