# Cowboys cheerleaders win union recognition: what happens next

> The Cowboys have recognized the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association as the squad's bargaining representative. Here is what we know and what is unclear.

By Subhajit | 2026-10-27 | Sports | Savvy VibeZ
Web page: https://savvyvibez.com/post/cowboys-cheerleaders-win-union-recognition-what-happens-next

The most famous cheer squad in the NFL now has a union. On Friday, Oct. 23, the Dallas Cowboys and the newly formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA) said in a joint statement that the team has agreed to recognize the DCCA as the collective bargaining representative for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, according to ESPN and The Associated Press.

## What the statement says

It is short. "After meaningful discussion between the Cowboys organization and the newly formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association regarding their request for recognition," it reads, the two sides are "pleased to announce" the recognition. The statement adds that the cheerleaders "are an esteemed part of the Cowboys organization, deeply respected for the talent and dedication they exhibit."

The Guardian reports that the Cowboys recognized the union voluntarily, and that the parties are set to begin collective bargaining. WFAA notes the statement gives no timeline for negotiations and does not say which issues will be on the table. The Athletic reports that the DCCA had no comment beyond the joint announcement, and the team pointed to the same statement.

## Years of pay fights behind it

The squad dates to 1961 and has long been among the best-known dance groups in the world. The pay has been a running story for just as long. The Guardian says the money was largely a mystery until 2018, when cheerleader Erica Wilkins filed a federal fair-wage lawsuit and said she averaged $15,000 a season, less than the team's male mascot.

The Netflix series *America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders* pushed the issue into the open. Its second season followed tense contract talks, including talk of a walkout, among the 36-member squad. The Guardian reports that the dancers ended up with a 400% raise, taking the hourly rate for some members from $15 in 2024 to $75. One squad member told The New York Times the new contract did not include health insurance. The show's third season came out in June.

## Why this one is a big deal

The Cowboys are the NFL's most valuable franchise at $17 billion, according to Forbes figures cited by the Guardian. That gives the squad's move a lot of weight. NBC News says the union is believed to be the first among pro sports cheerleading squads, apart from a short-lived effort by the Buffalo Bills' Jills in the 1990s.

That earlier attempt is worth remembering. In 1995 the National Labor Relations Board ruled that the Jills could unionize, and they joined the National Football League Cheerleaders Association. ESPN reports the squad later disbanded after a 2014 lawsuit in which former members said they worked hundreds of hours for free and faced groping and sexual comments.

ESPN also quotes sociologist Victor Chen of Virginia Commonwealth University, who studies labor issues. He said the Dallas squad was likely helped by its high profile and the Netflix show.

## What we do not know yet

This part is our read, not reporting from the team or the union. Recognition is the start of the process, and a contract is the hard part. Nobody has said what the DCCA will ask for, how long talks might take, or how many of the squad's members the union covers. The health insurance point from the Netflix season is a fair thing to watch, along with how rehearsal and appearance time gets paid, since those hours are a big part of the job.

It is also an open question whether other squads follow. A union at a team this visible makes that easier to imagine. It does not make it automatic.

Picture credit: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders