In the United Kingdom, the Sex Workers Union (SWU) is the sex workers' branch of the trade union Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).
The SWU represents people including full-service sex workers, strippers, webcam models and pornographic actors.
The organisation was established in 2018 and was formerly called the United Sex Workers (USW), [1] [2] a branch of United Voices of the World (UVW).
In 2023, the USW disbanded and its former members joined the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) [3] as the Sex Workers' Union branch. [4]
As the USW, members campaigned against Deliveroo's policy on sex workers and said that this led Deliveroo to change the policy. [5] [6]
The union believes that its members should be classified as members under UK labour laws, and takes legal action on this matter. [7] For instance, in 2020 Sonia Nowak with the aid of the union won a legal case classifying strippers as workers, not independent contractors. [8]
The SWU has campaigned against the closure of strip clubs. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
The union has been involved in numerous campaigns and protests, including the "Red Umbrella" campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the violence and discrimination faced by sex workers. [14]
The Sex Workers Union has been subject to coverage in Studies in Political Economy, Vice,[ citation needed] and Social and Legal Studies. [15]
In the United Kingdom, the Sex Workers Union (SWU) is the sex workers' branch of the trade union Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).
The SWU represents people including full-service sex workers, strippers, webcam models and pornographic actors.
The organisation was established in 2018 and was formerly called the United Sex Workers (USW), [1] [2] a branch of United Voices of the World (UVW).
In 2023, the USW disbanded and its former members joined the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) [3] as the Sex Workers' Union branch. [4]
As the USW, members campaigned against Deliveroo's policy on sex workers and said that this led Deliveroo to change the policy. [5] [6]
The union believes that its members should be classified as members under UK labour laws, and takes legal action on this matter. [7] For instance, in 2020 Sonia Nowak with the aid of the union won a legal case classifying strippers as workers, not independent contractors. [8]
The SWU has campaigned against the closure of strip clubs. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]
The union has been involved in numerous campaigns and protests, including the "Red Umbrella" campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the violence and discrimination faced by sex workers. [14]
The Sex Workers Union has been subject to coverage in Studies in Political Economy, Vice,[ citation needed] and Social and Legal Studies. [15]