WGAw's Upcoming Election Contest

We'll take a moment now to note a story from the House of Labor.

The WGAw is going to be having an election for new officers in September. And I think a lot of players in the entertainment industry will be watching with interest.

WGA West president Patric Verrone will face board member Kathy Kiernan for the presidency of the guild in an election held against the backdrop of upcoming negotiations. The WGA West disclosed the candidates list on Friday -- three weeks prior to the July 16 launch of what are expected to be contentious contract talks with studios and nets.

A total of 23 candidates for 11 offices were selected by the guild's nominating committee. Ballots for the election will be counted Sept. 18, six weeks prior to the Oct. 31 expiration of the current contract.

...Verrone's background is in TV animation, working on such shows as "Futurama"; Kiernan is a CBS newswriter...

I know less than nothing about the internal political dynamics of the WGA (west or east). I've no idea how popular or unpopular Mr. Verrone is. So of course I'll make a prediction.

Mr. Verrone will be returned to office for another term.

The WGA has been prepping for contract negotiations for a year or more, and it makes no sense to me that he would lose re-election while the negotiations are going on. The WGA membership -- I think -- will vote to play the hand it dealt itself two years ago to a conclusion, which means it will re-elect the architects of the WGA's "pattern of demands" and see where the pattern takes it.

The alternative to this scenario makes no logical sense to me. But I could have my head embedded far up my large intestine.