Historic Labor Rights Victory for Sex Workers in Nevada

In a historic first, the Nevada State AFL-CIO has adopted a resolution supporting sex workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain.

The resolution passed unanimously on August 18 at the AFL-CIO’s 70th Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas. It was co-drafted by Maxine Doogan, president of the Erotic Service Providers Legal, Education, and Research Project of San Francisco, and Jupiter Jetson, chief steward of United Brothel Workers, and introduced by Marc Ellis, president of Communications Workers of America Local 9413 and a vice president of the Nevada AFL-CIO.

“Sex work is work, and these workers deserve to be treated as such,” Ellis said. “This resolution means that going forward, sex workers can know they have the full support of all members of the AFL-CIO.”

The resolution recognizes sex workers as workers entitled to the same labor rights and protections as other workers. It specifically supports their right to organize and collectively bargain for fair wages, safe working conditions, dignity on the job, and protection of their labor rights.

The resolution also points to the conditions that make organizing especially important for sex workers, including wage theft, misclassification as independent contractors, workplace fees, sexual harassment and violence, and the inability to negotiate wages and working conditions.

Recent organizing victories show what is possible. Workers at Sheri’s Ranch in Nevada organized as United Brothel Workers, while workers at Star Garden in Los Angeles and the Lusty Lady Theater in San Francisco have also successfully organized. The resolution notes that these efforts have inspired other sex workers to seek solidarity through the labor movement.

The connection between sex workers and labor organizing in Nevada is not new. Barb Brents, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said the relationship dates back more than a century to the Industrial Workers of the World, or IWW, in the mining camps around Goldfield and Ely.

“Today’s resolution picks up that thread, affirming that sex workers are entitled to the same rights and protections as anyone else who works for a living,” Brents said. “Those are protections that evidence increasingly links to safer working conditions and less exploitation.”

The Nevada resolution represents an important shift in the labor movement’s recognition of sex workers as workers. It also demonstrates how organizing and collective action can give sex workers greater power to advocate for safer workplaces, fair treatment and better working conditions.