Nevada has long been the only state in the U.S. where someone can legally purchase sex. Now it could be the first state with a recognized sex workers' union.
Earlier this year, the majority of the workers at one of the state’s oldest brothels, Sheri’s Ranch in Pahrump, filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They’re looking to become the United Brothel Workers (UBW). This historic first would affiliate them with the Nevada-based Communications Workers of America Local 9413.
The movement began in December, when management presented workers with a new contract. It would grant them perpetual control over workers’ intellectual property, including the creative products or content people can generate and copyright.
"We need the right to decide the way that we work," said Jupiter Jetson, one of the union organizers. "We need agency over our images, agency over our intellectual property, especially in an age where our image is our intellectual property and our future."
She told KNPR that brothel workers have been victims of workplace harassment and exploitation for years, including wage theft, but this latest contract was the final straw.
"We read these contracts and realized that nobody in their right mind could sign these, and so we started pushing back," Jetson said. "We started first emailing management, and when management failed to respond, reaching out to attorneys, other organizations, until eventually we were led to the Communications Workers of America."
Jetson said at least seven women who voted in favor of unionizing have since been fired. She claims it's a clear case of retaliation.
"They have yet to provide an official reasoning as to why they would fire seven women now who have no history of behavioral or disciplinary action, who have all had exemplary careers at the ranch," Jetson said. "It does all seem to coincide with our union activity, and there was no other, no other incident that could explain seven separate firings in the span of two weeks."
KNPR contacted management of Sheri’s Ranch, but did not receive a response.
Guests: Jupiter Jetson, brothel worker and union organizer, United Brothel Workers
