The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are unionizing

Forming a union means the cheerleaders have joined together as a bargaining unit rather than negotiating only as separate workers. The Dallas Cowboys have already recognized that unit. This gives the cheerleaders a formal channel for discussing employment terms with the team.

The immediate example is the joint announcement from the Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association. It followed what both sides called “meaningful discussion.” Recognition does not itself create a complete employment contract. It starts the process of collective bargaining, in which representatives negotiate for the group.

The next stage is bargaining over an official contract. The article does not list the proposed terms or confirm how many of the 36 active members will be represented. The union could give the cheerleaders a stronger voice on pay and working conditions, but the final results depend on negotiations with the Cowboys.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders currently consist of 36 active members. Their recent pay increase is especially striking: attention from the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts” helped earn them a 400% raise for the 2025 season. That increase followed years when their compensation was far lower.

According to a New York Times report cited in the article, some veteran dancers are slated to receive more than $75 an hour. The article also recalls that cheerleaders made as little as $15 per game during the Cowboys’ 1990s heyday. A former cheerleader later accused the team of paying her less than minimum wage, and the lawsuit was settled.

The 36-member figure describes the active squad, but it is unclear how many members the union will officially represent. The raise applies to the 2025 season, while the new union still must negotiate a longer-term official contract with the Cowboys.

Recognition is only the opening step. The Cowboys have acknowledged the cheerleaders’ bargaining unit, but the two sides do not yet have the official contract that will set out their agreed employment terms. The article says negotiations are the next step, without describing a deadline or final proposals.

The article also leaves the bargaining unit’s size unresolved. The squad has 36 active members, but it is not clear how many will be officially represented by the union. This distinction matters because the recognized group may not automatically match every person currently on the active roster.

The source does not list specific contract demands. In general, collective bargaining can address pay, schedules, workplace rules, and dispute procedures, but those issues are not confirmed as final proposals here. The immediate reality is that the cheerleaders have recognition, while the contract’s contents remain to be negotiated.

The article does not directly state why the cheerleaders sought union representation. It does show the pressures surrounding the decision: their historical pay was extremely low, a former cheerleader accused the Cowboys of paying less than minimum wage, and that lawsuit ended in a settlement. Those facts provide important context for the union’s arrival.

The Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts” brought fresh attention to the squad’s on- and offseason lives. That attention helped produce a 400% raise for the 2025 season. Some veteran dancers are slated to earn more than $75 an hour, a sharp contrast with the $15 per game reported during the Cowboys’ 1990s heyday.

Union recognition can provide an ongoing group process rather than relying on individual complaints or one-time settlements. Still, the article does not identify a specific organizing demand. It confirms only that the Cowboys recognized the bargaining unit after meaningful discussion.

A union gives workers a shared negotiating structure. Instead of each cheerleader handling employment questions alone, representatives can bargain with the Cowboys for the group. That can make discussions over compensation and workplace expectations more organized and consistent. Recognition also gives the group a formal status in negotiations.

The article provides a clear pay example. The cheerleaders received a 400% raise for the 2025 season after attention from “America’s Sweethearts,” and some veterans are slated to earn more than $75 an hour. A contract could establish agreed terms beyond that season, although the article does not say what proposals the union will make.

Possible areas include pay, schedules, workplace rules, and procedures for resolving disputes. These are general functions of collective bargaining, not confirmed contract terms here. The current reality is limited: recognition has happened, but the union and Cowboys still must negotiate the official agreement.

Professional sports cheerleading has generally not had many unions. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ bargaining unit is believed to be the first in the nation among all pro-sports cheerleading squads, apart from an earlier Buffalo effort. That makes the Dallas development unusual within both professional sports and cheerleading.

The earlier example involved the Buffalo Bills’ “Buffalo Jills.” They made a union attempt in the mid-1990s, but the effort was short-lived. The article gives no further details about why that effort ended or what it achieved. It therefore serves mainly as a historical comparison.

The Dallas unit has already been recognized by the Cowboys after meaningful discussion. The next step is bargaining for an official contract. If that process produces lasting terms, Dallas could represent a more durable example of union representation for a professional cheerleading squad than the earlier Buffalo effort.

Negotiating individually can leave each worker to raise pay or workplace concerns alone. Collective bargaining changes the structure by letting workers act as a group through representatives. The employer negotiates with that unit rather than handling identical issues separately with every worker. This can give the group a stronger and more coordinated voice.

For the cheerleaders, the Dallas Cowboys have recognized a bargaining unit connected with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association. The union and team can now negotiate an official contract. That agreement could set common terms for represented members, although the article does not say what the union will request or what the Cowboys will accept.

The practical power comes from combining concerns and making the employer address them in one process. It can also create agreed procedures for workplace disputes. The union cannot guarantee a particular wage or rule. Those outcomes must be settled through bargaining, and the number of officially represented cheerleaders remains unclear.