Strippers Turn to Unions After Litigation, Legislation Falter

“Selena the Stripper” has danced in Los Angeles-area clubs for about five years, which included a period marked by sharp drops in pay from fewer customers during the pandemic on top of stage fees eating into wages.

Unmet lap dance quotas have often left some exotic dancers in the red, and many say they’re forced to lose weight or even face race discrimination in the form of less desirable shifts. Increasingly complex employment agreements—thanks to new enforcement rules in California—could mean fewer hours for some.

Dancers also fear that they have little recourse if they are injured or harassed.

Selena, ...