Writers Guild Elects New Board Members

After a bitterly contested race, the Writers Guild of America West announced election results for its board. The eight members elected are part of a contingent supporting current guild leadership and opposed the recent departure of WGAW Executive Director Brian Walton, who was forced from his post in August. The 13-year WGAW veteran left the guild after a contentious year of contract negotiation. Another group had positioned itself as opposition candidates in favor of a change in direction for the guild. Those candidates--including four former guild presidents--favored a stronger bargaining stance with producers, including using the threat of strikes. Voter turnout was greater than for any other board election in the last five years, with 2,417 of 8,020 eligible members casting ballots. Charles D. Holland, Carl Gottlieb, Jim Staahl, Amy Holden Jones, Tim O’Donnell, Brenda Lilly, Dennis Feldman and David H. Balkan were elected to two-year terms, effective immediately.