Head of L.A. Local Can’t Get Delegates Pumped for ‘Union’

Los Angeles

It’s unusual that the head of the hometown union greets the National Education Association’s delegates at their annual meeting, which moves among about eight big cities.

But here, such an official did do the honors during the July 3-6 gathering. Los Angeles is the rare metropolis with a significant NEA presence, thanks to a merger about three decades ago between the NEA affiliate and its American Federation of Teachers counterpart. The AFT, though smaller nationally, is dominant in big urban districts.

Thus, A.J. Duffy, the new president of United Teachers Los Angeles,...