Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders voluntarily recognised as union’s bargaining unit
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders unionized on Friday when the Cowboys voluntarily recognised the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA) as the squad’s collective bargaining representative, the team said in a news release.
The cheerleading unit has for years campaigned for higher pay and better working conditions and now has formal recognition to pursue collective bargaining. "The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are an esteemed part of the Cowboys organization, deeply respected for the talent and dedication they exhibit," the DCCA said in a statement. "They remain one of the most sought-after opportunities for talented dancers worldwide." Established in 1961, one year after the football team played its inaugural season in the NFL, the Cowboys cheerleaders are described in the release as among the most recognisable dance groups in the world.
The Cowboys' move followed what the organisation called "meaningful discussion" with the DCCA, and the two sides are set to begin collective bargaining, the statement said. The recognition is voluntary and designates the DCCA as the authorised representative for the squad in negotiations with the club.
The Netflix series America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, which released its third season in June, has provided televised access to the squad and the issues its members have raised about compensation. The programme depicted squad members balancing cheerleading with outside employment and brought public attention to their long-running push for better wages.
In 2018, Erica Wilkins filed a federal fair wage lawsuit against the Cowboys, saying she averaged $15,000 during her seasons with Dallas and that she made less money than the team’s male mascot. The report noted the Cowboys are the NFL’s most valuable franchise at $17bn, according to Forbes.
The second season of the Netflix show followed contract negotiations for the 36-member team, including threats of a walkout, and concluded with the squad receiving a 400% pay raise that increased the hourly rate for some members from $15 per hour for the 2024 season to $75 per hour. One squad member told the New York Times that while the new contract increased wages for game day appearances, it did not provide health insurance.
The Cowboys cheerleaders are not the first NFL squad to unionise: in 1995 the National Labor Relations Board ruled that the Buffalo Bills cheerleaders could unionise. The Buffalo Jills joined the National Football League Cheerleaders Association but that union was short-lived and the Jills squad disbanded in 2014.
With the DCCA now recognised, collective bargaining between the cheerleaders’ association and the Cowboys organisation is due to commence, according to the news release, marking the next formal step in resolving the squad’s compensation and working-conditions disputes.