Sex workers at Nevada brothel fight for the first unionization

Nevada Sex Workers Pioneer Unionization Effort at Historic Brothel

In an unprecedented move that could reshape labor rights within Nevada’s legal sex industry, workers at Sheri’s Ranch in Pahrump have launched the nation’s first attempt to unionize a brothel. Last week, the majority of the establishment’s 74 sex workers filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board under the name United Brothel Workers, seeking representation through the Communications Workers of America.

“We want the same things that any other worker wants. We want a safe and respectful workplace,” said Jupiter Jetson, a worker at Sheri’s Ranch who requested her legal name be withheld to prevent harassment.

Nevada stands alone as the only U.S. state where prostitution is legally permitted, though regulations confine it to licensed brothels in 10 rural counties. While Las Vegas in Clark County prohibits brothels, Sheri’s Ranch operates about an hour’s drive from the famous Strip.

The unionization push gained momentum after management introduced a new independent contractor agreement in December that workers found deeply concerning. The contract, reviewed by The Associated Press, would grant the brothel sweeping control over workers’ intellectual property, including an “irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license” to distribute their material.

“This is how you end up the face of a Japanese lubricant company without ever having signed a document,” Jetson explained. “This is how you end up finding yourself on a website offering AI companionship without ever seeing a penny.”

When workers brought these concerns to management, they were reportedly told to sign or leave. According to Jetson, she and two colleagues were terminated after management discovered their unionization efforts. The Communications Workers of America is now fighting for their reinstatement.

Jeremy Lemur, marketing and communications director for Sheri’s Ranch, stated that the brothel respects workers’ right to “express their views on workplace structure” and emphasized the business’s commitment to providing a “safe, lawful and professionally managed environment.” However, he did not address specific allegations regarding the contract terms or worker terminations.

The unionization effort raises fundamental questions about worker classification. While the brothel maintains that independent contractor status is essential to worker autonomy, the women contend they are treated as employees with set schedules, workplace requirements, and mandated minimum charges of $1,000 per hour, of which the brothel takes 50%.

“In our dream scenario, we would like to be recognized as employees because we would like the full rights and bargaining power that employees have,” Jetson said.

Molly Wylder, another worker who requested anonymity, views sex work as a temporary occupation to help pay off student loans. She expressed concern that the new contract terms would make it difficult for workers to eventually leave the industry. Beyond intellectual property protections, workers are seeking to negotiate over dress code requirements, compensation structures, and benefits like health insurance.

“It was never my plan to stay forever,” Wylder noted.

The unionization attempt occurs against a global backdrop where sex work remains largely taboo and worker protections vary dramatically. While prostitution is legal in some countries like Germany, organizing efforts have met mixed results. In Spain, where prostitution is unregulated, authorities initially approved a sex worker union in 2018 before courts quickly outlawed it, citing concerns about legitimizing exploitation.

“All workers are guaranteed certain human decencies and dignities, and the right to organize is one of those,” said Marc Ellis, state president of the Nevada Communications Workers of America.

The sex industry has seen some successful organizing efforts in other contexts. In Los Angeles, dancers at Star Garden recently became the only unionized group of strippers in the U.S., following in the footsteps of San Francisco’s pioneering Lusty Lady strip club, which unionized in 1997 before eventually closing.

According to Barb Brents, an expert in Nevada’s sex industry and retired professor from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, this unionization attempt represents a significant milestone for workers in a stigmatized profession who have historically remained silent about workplace conditions.

“It’s pretty amazing and heartening to see so many sex workers standing up for their rights,” Brents said.

The dispute could continue for weeks, though Sheri’s Ranch could choose to recognize the union immediately and begin contract negotiations. Whatever the outcome, this unprecedented organizing effort highlights evolving questions about worker protections in legal sex work and could establish important precedents for labor rights in this controversial industry.