Pahrump, Nevada, is making waves as the state where sex work is legal. At one of its oldest brothels, Sheri’s Ranch, sex workers are pushing to become the first in the nation to unionize. They want fair treatment and a safe workplace, just like any other job.
A worker named Jupiter Jetson shared that recent changes to their contracts sparked this movement. The new rules would let the brothel use their images even after they leave. “You could end up being the face of something without consent,” she noted, highlighting the risks.
In Nevada, sex work is legal under specific conditions, but not in Las Vegas. Despite this, the workers are taking a stand. They submitted a petition to unionize last week under the name United Brothel Workers, with support from the Communications Workers of America.
Marc Ellis, the state president of the Communications Workers of America, emphasized that all workers deserve basic rights and dignity, including the right to organize. Sheri’s Ranch has voiced support for its workers’ right to express their views.
However, the brothel’s new contract allows it to control the workers’ intellectual property. This has alarmed some courtesans, like Molly Wylder. She uses sex work to help pay off student loans and feels the new terms could make it harder to leave the industry.
The response to their concerns wasn’t positive. When they raised issues about the contract, management suggested they either sign or leave. Some workers felt pressured to agree to terms that they believed took away their rights.
Jetson and others involved in the unionization efforts faced backlash. Jetson claimed she and two others were let go after management learned about the drive to unionize. The union is working to get them reinstated.
Sex workers often find themselves classified as independent contractors. While this gives them some flexibility, it also means they lack access to many employee rights. They argue that their work conditions resemble those of employees—set schedules, a minimum fee for services, and revenue sharing with the brothel.
The workers hope to change their classification to gain rights like health insurance and control over their working environment. They also want to protect their creative work, like online content.
This isn’t the first instance of workers in the adult industry attempting to organize. In Los Angeles, dancers at the Star Garden became the only unionized strippers in the country, and in 1997, San Francisco’s Lusty Lady was among the first to unionize, although it has since closed.
Washington state has also seen progress with the “Strippers’ Bill of Rights,” which offers important protections for adult entertainers and reflects changing attitudes towards worker rights in the sex industry.
Barb Brents, an expert on Nevada’s sex industry, finds this union effort significant. “It’s heartening to see so many sex workers standing up for their rights,” she said.
This movement in Pahrump could reshape the conversation around sex work and workers’ rights, demonstrating a shift from silence to advocacy in an often stigmatized profession.
For more insights on labor movements and workers’ rights, you can check out resources from the U.S. Department of Labor.
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Prostitution, Nevada
