DALLAS, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to recognize a union for their cheerleaders, clearing the way for the famous squad to bargain collectively with the team for the first time.
The team and the newly formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association announced the deal Friday in a joint statement. The Cowboys recognized the association voluntarily, and the two sides said they reached the agreement after what they described as meaningful discussion. Contract talks are next.
In the statement, the organization called the cheerleaders an esteemed part of the franchise, respected for their talent and dedication, and said the squad remains one of the most coveted jobs for dancers anywhere.
How many cheerleaders the union will cover has not been announced. The squad dates to 1961 and has 36 active members. No other NFL cheer team is thought to have a union today; the closest precedent is the Buffalo Jills, who organized in the 1990s.
The move caps years of pressure over pay. A former cheerleader’s lawsuit against the team was settled in 2019, and game-day pay doubled afterward, from $200 to $400. Pay jumped again for the 2025 season, when a cheerleader featured in a documentary series about the squad said members were getting a 400% raise. After that increase, some veteran cheerleaders were expected to make more than $75 an hour.
Recognition gives the cheerleaders a formal seat at the table on working conditions, not just pay. No date for the first bargaining session has been made public, and a representative for the association could not be reached Friday.
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