It didn’t exactly get done in a 15-hour day, but production assistants on The Pitt finalized their first union contract in a relatively speedy manner.
Just a few months after PAs on the HBO Max medical drama voted to unionize, the workers have unanimously ratified their first union contract with the production, their representatives announced Tuesday. The contract will apply to the show’s second season, which is still being finalized, and a third season if HBO Max renews the series.
Principally, the labor contract allows PAs on the production to qualify for the Motion Picture Industry Health and Pension plans like other crew members.
The contract also tackles the issue of career development for PAs, who in recent years have often felt stuck in the entry-level role. It facilitates the creation of a “pathway committee” of employer and union representatives who will together determine “existing opportunities [and] challenges” for PAs to rise up the ranks on set and determine “potential solutions,” the union stated. The contract additionally offers PAs professional development training paid for by the production.
“I’m deeply grateful to the company for taking the time to acknowledge the vital role PAs play on film sets,” The Pitt PA Mike McWilliams said in a statement. “The absence of health care benefits has been difficult, especially for those of us with families. This new agreement establishes a year-round, union-level benefits system. It’s a major achievement that will support PAs and their families across the country, and I’m excited to see which studio steps up next.”
Adds Oscar Flores, another PA on the series, “This historic victory marks a significant milestone for Production Assistants and the film industry nationwide. This achievement is a testament to our collective efforts, and we are confident that this will pave the way for even greater progress.”
The first season of The Pitt, which premiered last January, followed healthcare workers in an emergency room at a fictional Pittsburgh-area hospital over the course of one 15-hour shift. The second season is set to premiere in January 2026.
More to come.
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