NYC strippers are striking to protest scantily clad 'startenders' with huge social media followings - here's a look inside the battle

• New York strippers are organizing a strike to protest discrimination in the industry. 
• One issue: a new wave of bartenders - also known as "startenders" or bottle girls - have started taking away tips, sometimes even snatching money off the stage. 
• Startenders have risen to prominence in the last few years with the rise of Instagram, where they command huge followings. 

New York City strippers are speaking out against what they say is unfair treatment at the hands of club promoters and managers. 

With the rise of "bottle girl" bartenders in the city, dancers say they're dealing with unfair treatment, including insufficient pay and racial discrimination, the Washington Post reported. According to strippers, bottle girls - who often are just as scantily clad as strippers - are given preferential treatment and hurt strippers' profits, sometimes literally taking dancers' cash off of tables. 

About a week ago, strippers organized under the hashtag #NYCStripperStrike to shine a light on these issues. 

Here's how bottle girls rose to prominence in recent years - and how they play a role in the recent strike.