Nevada Brothel Workers Pursue Historic Unionization Effort
PAHRUMP, Nev. – In a first for the legal sex industry in the United States, workers at Sheri’s Ranch, a brothel in Pahrump, Nevada, have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize. The majority of the brothel’s 74 sex workers, operating under the name United Brothel Workers, are seeking the same rights and protections afforded to workers in other industries, including a safe and respectful workplace.
The unionization effort, represented by the Communications Workers of America, gained momentum following the implementation of a new independent contractor agreement in December. Workers argue this agreement grants the brothel excessive control, including the power to use their likenesses without permission, even after they cease working at the establishment.
“We want the same things that any other worker wants. We want a safe and respectful workplace,” said Jupiter Jetson, a sex worker at Sheri’s Ranch who is leading the unionization effort, and who requested her legal name not be used due to concerns about harassment.
The new independent contractor deal requires workers to charge a minimum of $1,000 per hour, with the brothel retaining 50% of their earnings. Workers also claim they are treated as independent contractors despite maintaining set schedules and being unable to work remotely. The union aims to address these concerns and secure basic worker protections, such as control over the use of their own images.
Nevada is unique in the United States, being the only state where prostitution is legal in certain rural counties. However, even within the state, regulations vary, and sex workers have historically faced stigma and a lack of traditional labor protections. This unionization attempt could set a significant precedent for the rights and organization of sex workers not only in Nevada but across the country and potentially internationally.
According to reports, the brothel has reportedly sent home three sex workers in the last week and threatened others with termination if they did not sign the new contract. This action further fueled the drive to unionize.
The petition submitted to the National Labor Relations Board last week marks a pivotal moment in the fight for the rights of sex workers. The outcome of this effort could reshape the landscape of the legal sex industry and provide a model for worker advocacy in a traditionally marginalized field.
Marc Ellis, the state president of the Nevada Communications Workers of America, is representing the sex workers in their unionization drive.
