Reality Bytes

The 15-month effort to gain union recognition by dancers employed at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood, California, ended in victory this week. For the 116th episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes Velveeta, one of Star Garden's newly unionized strippers, to explain how this historic milestone came to be. On Monday, May 15th, lawyers representing the owners of the Star Garden withdrew all election challenges, agreed to recognize the union, and will meet with the Actors’ Equity Association across the bargaining table within 30 days to negotiate a first contract. The club also will reopen for business and bring back dancers who were dismissed last year. The spark that ignited the unionization campaign was lit in March of 2022 when the club’s security guards repeatedly failed to protect dancers from threatening and abusive behavior from patrons. Dancers were illegally fired for bringing concerns about safety and security to management. With the assistance of Strippers Uni