Production assistants on HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt have voted unanimously to unionize, marking a historic first for support staffers on a major television series.

In an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board on Friday, production and office assistants from the show’s second season opted to join a group aligned with LiUNA Local 724, the Hollywood laborers’ union. The move formalizes a grassroots effort that began during the industry-wide strikes of 2023 and gained traction last summer.

“The PAs on this show are real professionals and we bring our A game every day, so it means a lot that we can now collectively bargain for the same rights and benefits that everyone else gets,” said set production assistant Michael McWilliam in a statement. Another PA added, “A unanimous vote is as undeniable as the rights we are fighting for. A true union show and industry cannot exist with nonunion labor.”

According to organizers, The Pitt is the first major television production where production assistants and support staff have successfully unionized. Warner Bros., HBO Max’s parent company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LiUNA Local 724 business manager Alex Aguilar hailed the vote as a breakthrough. “LiUNA Local 724 is honored to be at the tip of the spear representing those who long have deserved respect and dignity behind the scenes here in Hollywood, but who have so long been denied that recognition,” he said. “This is only the beginning.”

The unionization effort is spearheaded by Production Assistants United, a grassroots movement launched in 2023 that formally partnered with LiUNA in 2024. The group is advocating for higher wages, access to health benefits, improved turnaround times and grievance procedures, while also pushing for clearer career pathways in a field that has traditionally offered few routes to advancement.

Organizers targeted The Pitt after setting up a tent outside Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, where the show films. Crew members, who often wear scrubs in case they are caught on camera, were quick to rally behind the campaign. By July, the drive went public and by September, the vote was unanimous.

Assistants to the showrunner, director and executive producers also participated in the election, though their ballots have been challenged by the employer and a ruling on their eligibility is pending.

“I think a union is going to bring a lot of continuous, forward progression,” one PA told THR earlier this summer. “We deserve a seat at the table and unions are supposed to give their members a voice and let them be heard.”

The win for The Pitt PAs is seen by labor advocates as a bellwether moment that could accelerate organizing efforts across other productions, particularly as the industry grapples with a slowdown that has made entry-level jobs more precarious than ever.