If the WGA and the studios learned anything from 1988 it was that March isn't a good time for a strike deadline. That interfered with the production of the fall pilots and caused writers to be out at a time that made settlement less critical. A strike vote doesn't necessarily mean disaster for next fall's television season as long as the strike doesn't extend into months. TV production typically shuts down in May, June and most of July anyway. Writers typically return to work in June to prepare scripts for filming in late July and early August.
Comedy scripts typically take less time to write than longer dramas.
English says that having a high-powered television writer and producer like Wells should help settle things more quickly than if the union were run by a movie writer used to less severe time demands. The SAG issues are similar to those involving the writers - residuals.