Writers Guild West Taps an Old Adversary

In an unusual hire, directors of the guild representing Hollywood’s TV and film writers tapped as their top executive a veteran CBS Inc. labor negotiator who for years has sat across the bargaining table from the union.

John McLean, who for 18 years has been vice president of industrial relations for the network, was selected as executive director of the Writers Guild of America West, historically one of Hollywood’s most influential and controversial labor posts.

McLean, whose hiring is expected to be approved in an upcoming vote by the union’s 8,500 members, replaces Brian Walton, who in August was forced out of his job after 13 years amid bitter guild infighting.

One of McLean’s first challenges will be to try to patch up differences within the union, and to help steer the guild through negotiations with producers over the sticky issue of residuals for work that runs in foreign markets and on cable TV. That issue was effectively tabled during the last round of negotiations with producers, with a promise to address it later.

Writer Daniel Petrie Jr., president of the guild, said McLean has negotiated more than 500 contracts, acting as chief negotiator in 100 of them. Referring to McLean’s past role as an adversary in negotiations, Petrie said McLean “has displayed integrity and respect for writers and the guild across the bargaining table over years of negotiations.”

McLean’s selection by the guild’s board was unanimous, something of an accomplishment in a union where various factions have fought sometimes bitterly over the last few years.

“For me, that unanimity represents a significant step forward in healing the differences within the guild,” Petrie said.

McLean, whose contract runs 3 1/2 years, grew up in Toronto. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Purdue University and a master’s in industrial relations from Cornell University. His career at CBS spanned 25 years.