Elections Give No Easy Fix on Union Course

Union Leaders, Watchers Mull Whether the 'New Unionism' is Retreating

When longtime Los Angeles teachers’ union activist A.J. Duffy defeated incumbent President John Perez early this month, it was a first. In the 35-year history of United Teachers Los Angeles, no challenger had ever ousted a sitting president and his slate.

What’s more, Mr. Duffy and his group declared that they would take a more militant stance toward current contract negotiations, which have dragged on for more than 1½ years. And they have outlined an ambitious agenda for change, including more urgency in addressing teachers’ complaints about working conditions, closing the gaps in resources between schools, and going out front in the fight against the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

“People are tired, people are frustrated,” Mr. Duffy said last week. “They want a union that will...