Aveteran educator scored an upset win to become president of the Los Angeles teachers union, running on a platform of saving jobs and retaining benefits for its 40,000 members.

With just 25 percent of eligible members casting ballots in this week's runoff, United Teachers Los Angeles elected Warren Fletcher to take over as president on July 1. He defeated Julie Washington, a UTLA vice president who had led the field of eight candidates in the union's primary election in February.

Fletcher's promise to focus on retaining teacher pay, benefits, jobs and pensions

Julie Washington was considered the front-runner after capturing the most votes after the union's initial February vote.
puts him at odds with leaders of cash-strapped