The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have secured a major breakthrough in their battle for higher pay, officially unionizing to begin collective bargaining with the franchise.
The NFL team officially recognized the newly-formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA) as the squad’s collective bargaining representative on Friday.
According to a joint news release, the milestone decision followed ‘meaningful discussion’ between team officials and the dancers’ union representatives.
The landmark move paves the way for direct contractual negotiations regarding salaries, benefit and working conditions for members of the dance troupe.
Tad Carper, the Cowboys’ senior vice president of communications, confirmed the union’s official recognition to The Dallas Morning News.
The update follows years of public scrutiny surrounding the compensation of NFL cheerleaders, who represent one of the most recognizable brands in global sports.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders secured a major breakthrough in their battle for higher pay
The NFL team officially recognized the newly-formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA) as the squad’s collective bargaining representative on Friday
Pay disparity became a major focal point during Season 2 of Netflix’s documentary series America’s Sweethearts, which offered viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the rigorous demands placed on the squad.
During that season of the docuseries, dancers revealed that they had previously received a 400 percent pay raise following heightened attention on their wages.
Former members of the squad have spent years speaking out about meager earnings despite their demanding schedule, high expectations and global appearances.
In the 2010s, the Cowboys faced a prominent fair-wage lawsuit filed by three-year squad veteran Erica Wilkins.
Reporting surrounding the litigation revealed that Wilkins earned just $16,000 during her highest-earning year performing with the franchise.
The financial disparity stretched back decades, with dancers during the team’s 1990s championship dynasty reportedly taking home just $15 per game, which rose to $50 per game before the turn of the century.
