The statement praised the cheerleaders’ talent and dedication but did not provide details about contract negotiations or the union’s initial priorities. The newly recognized representative gives squad members a formal channel to negotiate with the organization as a group.

The move follows years of disputes over compensation. In 2019, the Cowboys settled a lawsuit brought by a former cheerleader who alleged she had been paid less than minimum wage. Cheerleaders earned as little as $15 per game during the squad’s heyday in the 1990s, according to reporting cited by the Dallas Morning News.

The squad’s profile grew further with the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.” During the show’s second season, a cheerleader said pay had increased by 400%, though the union announcement did not specify current pay levels or confirm terms of that increase.

Victor Chen, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who spoke to the Associated Press, said the show’s visibility may have strengthened the cheerleaders’ position. He noted that entertainment fields can feature unequal compensation when many people compete for limited roles, sometimes accepting low or no pay.

The Buffalo Jills became the first cheerleading squad to unionize in 1995. That squad later disbanded after a former member filed a 2014 lawsuit alleging extensive unpaid work and sexual harassment.