Production assistants working on the CBS police procedural “Elsbeth” initiated formal union organizing efforts by filing an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board. The filing, submitted on October 15, covers 28 workers on the series and represents their effort to become represented by LiUNA Local 724, a union that has partnered with the grassroots organization Production Assistants United to advance unionization across the entertainment industry.
The production assistants released a statement expressing enthusiasm about the organizing campaign and detailing their rationale for seeking union representation. According to the statement, while production assistants are often viewed as entry-level workers, many possess years of industry experience and regularly work extended hours on set. The workers cited concerns about financial instability, healthcare access, and support for their families as motivating factors for the unionization push.
The statement emphasized that the production assistants value their work and wish to maintain their relationships with the show’s cast and crew. The organizers framed their campaign as part of a larger movement aimed at protecting the workforce against consolidation within the media industry and its potential consequences for workers.
A representative for “Elsbeth” declined to provide immediate comment on the filing. The unionization effort on “Elsbeth” is part of a broader organizing trend affecting multiple television productions. Production assistants have voted to unionize on numerous other series, including “Abbott Elementary,” “All American,” “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med,” and several other programs. Ethan Ravens, director of organizing for Production Assistants United and LiUNA 724, noted that the movement reflects an active production landscape in New York and growing support among production assistants for union representation.
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