Nevada prostitutes seek to be the first to unionize a brothel in U.S.

Sex workers at a Nevada brothel want to unionize with the Communications Workers of America, the first chapter of its kind in U.S. history.

The unionization drive is at Sheri’s Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, about 49 miles west of Las Vegas. There are 74 workers, also called courtesans, at Sheri’s Ranch, the majority of whom have signed on to union efforts, according to the Nevada Independent.

Prostitution is legal in 10 counties across Nevada.

The aspiring members of what would be called the Brothel Workers of America said Friday that the unionization drive was spurred by “inconsistent rule enforcement, opaque contracts, weak grievance procedures, and retaliation” and “attempts to seize control of their intellectual property and demands for power of attorney far beyond the scope of their work.”

The sex workers also claimed that management fired some of their colleagues for union activity and for opposing new contracts that would have seen them sign away the rights to their intellectual property.

Jupiter Jetson, one of the courtesans purportedly fired for union activity, told The Associated Press that the intellectual property stipulations sought by management are “how you end up the face of a Japanese lubricant company without ever having signed a document [or] how you end up finding yourself on a website offering AI companionship without ever seeing a penny.”

The pro-union workers are demanding voluntary recognition of their union, the reinstatement of fired colleagues, and for Sheri’s Ranch to negotiate with them in good faith.

Communications Workers of America Local 9413 President Marc Ellis told the Nevada Independent that the contract presented to the courtesans by management at Sheri’s Ranch contained some details that would normally be agreed upon through collective bargaining at other workplaces.

Sheri’s Ranch contends that the courtesans are classified as independent contractors instead of employees; the latter category has more latitude in trying to collectively bargain with management.

“We respect the right of individuals to express their views on workplace structure. At the same time, Sheri’s Ranch remains confident in the longstanding legal and regulatory framework that has supported independent contractors operating their own businesses in association with the resort for decades,” Sheri’s Ranch Communications Director Jeremy Lemur told the Nevada Independent.