Steven Pitts, Ph.D., a labor specialist with the Labor Center of the University of California at Berkeley, told BlackAmericaWeb.com that the two unions including the most significant number of blacks -- the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) -- face the biggest questions now that leaders from SEIU and the Teamsters have publicly announced their intentions to leave the AFL-CIO, the national federation of labor organizations.

“The biggest concern [for black union members] is what will be the nature of these conflicts in term of reorganizing,” Pitts said Tuesday, adding that the split could pose serious ramifications in terms of maintaining rights on the job for blacks, as well as sustaining any political clout union members may have had.

“In the electoral arena," Pitts said, "unity is always better than disunity."

SEIU President Andy Stern, who represents 1.8 million workers, told the Associated Press that split was due to an attempt by SEIU and the Teamsters to reverse a decline in members. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, total union members continued its decline in 2004, dropping by approximately 300,000 to 12.5 percent of the American workforce.

Blacks, who make up roughly 14 percent of American union workers, accounted for more than half -- 168,000 -- of the union jobs lost last year.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney has said that the move by SEIU and the Teamsters is a “grievous insult” that will hurt American workers already suffering from a growing global economy. However, Pitts said some changes need to be made to make the union movement more effective, although a rift may not necessarily be the answer.

“There’s a really important need for labor to transform itself in regards to being more aggressive in organizing workers, doing a better job in engaging current workers and being more aggressive in affecting the larger world,” Pitts said. “Unity really is the way to achieve those changes, rather than some sort of break.”

The future of the labor movement could be greatly affected by the success or failure of Stern's effort to build a coalition outside the AFL-CIO that dedicates more money and manpower to recruiting union members while adjusting to demands of the global economy.

His Change to Win Coalition consists of seven unions, four of which boycotted the recent AFL-CIO convention: The SEIU, Teamsters, United Food and Commercial Workers and UNITE HERE, a group of textile, hotel and restaurant employees.

Labor officials expect the UFCW and UNITE HERE to leave the AFL-CIO later.

Those four unions represent one-third of the AFL-CIO's 13 million members. The SEIU and Teamsters alone account for more than $20 million of an estimated $120 million AFL-CIO budget.

In terms of political impact, Pitts said that the rift could affect black workers on varying branches of government.

“You have to look at things on the federal, state, and local [levels]. Locally, that’s where the black workers are in general, and you’ll probably see a lot of unity there [in supporting candidates and raising money] because that’s where the rubber hits the road,” Pitts said. “There’d be some tension, but there’d still be some cohesion.

“On the state level, it’s not quite clear because a lot depends on how important working together is needed to be effective,” Pitts said, adding that the influence by black union members on state levels is quite weak in certain areas.

When it comes to federal politicians, Pitt maintains, that’s where the rift could have its greatest impact.

“Nationally, there’s been more focus on Democratic nominees for president by union members, but even during primaries there’s been some disagreement,” Pitts said, adding that support in the form of endorsements, as well as campaign contributions could be at stake, making it crucial for black union members to have an even greater say.

“My thought is that there may continue to be some disagreements amongst the unions in supporting a candidate," he said, "but there will be a closing of the ranks, given the nature of the Republican alternatives."