Only time will tell the ultimate result of the historic splintering of the labor movement that began at the AFL-CIO convention last month. Will the new Change to Win Coalition revitalize the labor movement, as organizers hope? Or will labor lose clout because of a splintering effect, as detractors fear?

Following are excerpts of a wide variety of viewpoints on the new reality in the U.S. labor movement:

"The plight of unions, as the economy has changed, sometimes makes them look dated and ineffective. But that's not the case. Unions are hardly going away. In fact, the greatest gains unions are making today are among hospital workers and other largely immigrant laborers in the lower-paid service occupations, fulfilling labor's historic role of representing the poor.

"Labor's original political clout was built from the voting power of just such immigrant workers. By organizing them again, labor could be going back to the future."
- Columnist James Flanigan, LA Times, June 19, 2005

"The recent establishment of the Change to Win Coalition, which will probably be a rival federation to the AFL-CIO, could be the best thing to happen to the American labor movement in decades.

"The new competition among unions will create more dynamic unions and will force labor leaders to be accountable to their constituents. Competition among unions leads not only to the creation of better options for the already organized rank and file, but also to the organization of new industries as unions animated by the rivalry generate enthusiasm among the unorganized."
- The Christian Science Monitor

"What does it say about the AFL-CIO leadership that, despite (President John) Sweeney's abysmal record during the past ten years, 44 international union presidents are ready to give him four more years, without the slightest assurance that he will do any better than in the past?

"Isn't it remarkable that there isn't a single national labor leader, who has the courage, charisma and leadership skills to challenge Sweeney for the presidency? Is Sweeney the best that organized labor can produce?"
- Harry Kelber, "The Labor Educator"

"We are in the midst of the most significant and profound transformative moment in economic history, and workers are suffering," said SEIU President Andrew Stern. "Our goal is not to divide the labor movement, but to rebuild it so working people can once again achieve the American dream."
- Quoted in NY Times, July 26, 2005

"What the labor movement really needs is a new generation of leaders who understand the emerging competition to U.S. workers from the likes of India and China. Rather than oppose imports to protect textile jobs that can't be saved, such leaders would work to reform education so Americans can compete in the knowledge industries that will grow the fastest."
- The Wall Street Journal, lead editorial, July 26, 2005.

"In addition to hampering organized labor's efforts to win legislation that would prevent employers from intimidating workers attempting to organize, a divided labor movement would be severely weakened in pursuing changes to unfair trade policies that are wiping out manufacturing jobs by the millions…."
- Steelworkers President Leo Gerard

"Among Democrats, there is considerable fear that the labor split will undercut the AFL.-CIO's role as a highly effective coordinator for the nation's unions in lobbying and political campaigns. 'There's a lot of anxiety any time one of your principal allies is split, especially given the amount of resources that the other side has amassed against us," said David Axelrod, a Democratic consultant. 'The White House, the Republican Party, would like nothing better than to put labor out of business as a political force.'"
- The New York Times, July 26, 2005

"Politically, unions have to put aside fantasies of 'taking back' Congress and the White House and concentrate instead on rebuilding political capacity from the ground up.

"Here in Washington, a rebuilding strategy would surely involve focusing on a small number of core legislative priorities, like the minimum wage and labor law reform. It would mean taking a page from the Teamster playbook and learning to dance on a more bipartisan basis with the party in power.

"And it would surely require cleaning out the patronage-ridden old guard at AFL-CIO headquarters and bringing in top-notch marketing talent to craft and sell a new message."
- Columnist Steven Pearlstein, Washington Post, July 22, 2005

"Organized labor needs to get back to the business of fighting to protect the best interests of the working men and women of America. We need to counter the Administration's efforts to gut Social Security, address the health care crisis and stop the export of jobs overseas through bad trade deals.

"We need to stop the spread of Wal-Mart's employment philosophy and fight for good jobs with a living wage and benefits. We need to help more workers climb back into the middle class and stay there. These are some of the darkest days for working families in 100 years. Our enemies are strong enough without giving them aid and comfort by dividing the labor movement."
- IBEW President Ed Hill, June 2005 message to members.

"As dysfunctional as we are, we're a family."
- A Kansas City delegate to the AFL-CIO, to the Wall Street Journal.