WGA mails runoff ballots
In WGAW's election last month, Mahern received 1,086 votes, Halperin drew 707 votes, and board member John Riley, who was eliminated, had 462 votes, forcing the runoff.
Halperin, a former board member and opponent of the Writers Guild's proposed contract with film and television producers, has campaigned on ending free rewrites and late payments as well as maintaining strong guild benefit plans.
As a member of WGAW's pension and health fund finance committee, he is against the proposed contract stipulation that takes away a quarter percent of health premiums and, in turn, adds a quarter percent increase in minimum basic agreement payments. Halperin, unlike Mahern, is against an HMO alternative to the guild's health benefits package.
Mahern, a WGAW board member, supports the proposed contract, but advocates militant enforcement of the minimums. Halperin advocates random audits of the studios to combat late payments and a defined guild tracking system to stop free rewrites.
Mahern has been endorsed by WGAW prexy Daniel Petrie Jr., VP John Wells and 10 current board members. Halperin has the backing of six past WGAW prexys including Brad Radnitz, Frank Pierson, David Rintels and John Furia Jr., as well as three current board members.
