Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Form Union in Historic Move, NFL Team Agrees to Recognize DCCA

The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to recognize the newly-formed union of their cheerleading squad.

Per a release from the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Association, the NFL organization agreed to recognize the DCCA as the collective bargaining representative for the cheerleading squad.

The move makes the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders the first known squad for an NFL team to unionize.

The Cowboys cheerleaders are among the most well-known dance groups in the United States. They have been featured in the Netflix series America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders that released its third season in June.

In the second season of the show (h/t Angelique Jackson of Variety), Megan McElaney revealed in the final episode that a veteran group of the cheerleaders reached out to Cowboys officials to negotiate new contracts.

"We ended up getting a 400% increase, which is, like, life-changing," McElaney said.

McElaney has since retired from the Cowboys cheerleading squad after five seasons.

A 2022 report from Kristen Conti of NBC Sports Boston noted they earn between $15-20 per hour and around $75,000 annually. That amount would have been before the pay increase McElaney spoke about.

The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders were established in 1961, one year after the team's inaugural season. Their squad is comprised of 36 members with Kelli Finglass serving as director and Judy Tramell serving as choreographer.