Takeaways
- Production assistants on Abbott Elementary have unanimously voted to unionize with Production Assistants United.
- All eight eligible PAs voted in favor during an NLRB election, potentially covering up to 12 workers once eligibility questions are resolved.
- This is the fourth Warner Bros. Television show organized by the group this year, part of a wider PA union movement backed by LiUNA Local 724.
- The union push highlights concerns about low pay, long hours, and lack of benefits for PAs, historically one of the industry’s most vulnerable crew positions.
- For early-career workers and aspiring creatives, the move signals a shifting labor landscape where entry-level jobs are starting to come with stronger protections.
Abbott Elementary PAs Vote Yes to a Union
The production assistants of Abbott Elementary—the acclaimed mockumentary-style ABC comedy set in a Philadelphia public school—have taken a major step in the ongoing push to improve working conditions for the people who keep sets running.
In a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election, all eight eligible PAs voted to unionize with Production Assistants United, a grassroots organizing effort focused specifically on production assistant roles. The unit may ultimately cover around 12 workers, depending on how one contested eligibility case is decided and whether the employer files objections to certification in the coming days.
This unanimous vote sends a clear message: even at the entry level, crew members are ready to demand fair treatment, better pay, and real benefits.
Who Is Representing Abbott’s PAs?
The Abbott Elementary PAs are organizing with Production Assistants United, which is backed by the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 724, a Hollywood laborers’ union that represents studio utility employees and has become a central force in PA organizing.
Production Assistants United has rapidly grown into a key player in below-the-line labor:
- It aims to unionize one of the last non-union crew roles on many sets: production assistants.
- The movement has roots in the energy and solidarity of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, which highlighted how crucial every crew member is to a production.
On Abbott Elementary, the group’s drive went public in mid-September, making it one of the earliest and highest-profile campaigns under the PAU banner.
Part of a Bigger Wave Across Warner Bros. TV
Abbott Elementary is now the fourth Warner Bros. Television production organized by Production Assistants United this year. Other shows that have voted to unionize include:
- The Pitt (where PAs already have a labor contract in place)
- All American
- Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
These wins show that PA organizing is not a one-off moment—it’s a sustained campaign running across multiple sets and studios.
Abbott Elementary is produced by both Warner Bros. Television and 20th Television, putting major studio players at the center of this labor conversation.
Why PAs Are Pushing to Unionize
Production assistants are often the first people in and the last people out on set. They handle everything from lockups and runs to paperwork, resets, and communication between departments. Historically, though, PAs have been:
- Low-paid, especially when you factor in long hours
- Often without union health or pension plans
- Expected to shoulder heavy workloads with little job security
Production Assistants United and LiUNA Local 724 are pushing to change that. Across multiple campaigns, PAs have cited priorities such as:
- Higher wages that reflect the hours and responsibilities
- Access to healthcare and retirement benefits
- Enforceable turnaround times and rest periods between shifts
- Reimbursement policies for mileage, tolls, and other out-of-pocket expenses
As one Abbott PA, Deija Zavala, put it:
“The future of our industry doesn’t seem so bleak when we stand together.”
That sense of solidarity—especially on a show built around themes of community and underfunded public workers—resonates strongly.
“Some of Our Industry’s Most Vulnerable Workers”
Even within Hollywood’s layered hierarchy, production assistants occupy a uniquely precarious spot.
Abbott Elementary writer-producer Brittani Nichols, who began her own career as a PA, has described production assistants as “some of our industry’s most vulnerable workers.” Their roles are essential, but their protections have historically lagged behind those of other crew positions.
Her support highlights a key shift:
- Writers, producers, and other department heads are increasingly recognizing how critical PAs are.
- The solidarity formed during the recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes is helping fuel cross-craft support for PA unionization.
In Nichols’ view, organizing is about more than survival wages in an expensive city like Los Angeles—it’s about giving entry-level workers a real chance to thrive in the industry.
The Broader Movement: From One Show to Hundreds of PAs
Abbott Elementary’s unanimous vote is one piece of a much larger strategy. Production Assistants United and LiUNA Local 724 are working to organize more than 1,800 PAs across the country, covering multiple shows and studios.
Recent campaigns include:
- Union elections on shows like The Pitt, All American, and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
- New efforts on projects for Netflix and Universal, where PAs are also filing for union elections backed by PAU and LiUNA Local 724
For early-career workers, this organizing wave could reshape what “entry-level” means:
- More predictable hours and breaks
- Clear minimum pay structures
- Health and pension benefits earlier in a career
- A stronger pathway to stay in the industry long enough to move into writing, producing, directing, or other departments
What Happens Next for Abbott’s PAs?
Although the PAs have voted unanimously to unionize, there are still a few procedural steps ahead:
- The employer has a short window to file objections to the election or the union’s certification.
- The NLRB must finalize the result and resolve any disputes about who is included in the bargaining unit.
Once the union is certified:
- Production Assistants United and LiUNA Local 724 will be able to bargain a first contract on behalf of Abbott’s PAs.
- That contract could cover wages, hours, benefits, working conditions, and grievance procedures.
Given the momentum behind PA organizing and the high-profile nature of Abbott Elementary, the outcome of those negotiations will be watched closely industry-wide.
A Turning Point for Entry-Level Hollywood Jobs
Abbott Elementary has won acclaim for its warm, sharply observed portrayal of under-resourced public school staff who keep showing up for their students. Now, its own production assistants are sending a parallel message on the labor side:
When workers at the bottom of the ladder organize, they can reshape the industry from the ground up.
For aspiring PAs, coordinators, and creatives working toward long-term careers in entertainment, this is a sign that entry-level work is slowly gaining the respect—and the protections—it deserves.
