CHICAGO - Already in a downward spiral, the American union movement emerged last week from a pivotal confrontation with its future even more in doubt.

A bitter clash of personalities and agendas split labor into rival camps, as two big unions broke from the AFL-CIO to start their own federation, the Change to Win Coalition. At least two more unions - the United Food and Commercial Workers and Unite Here, a union of hospitality and textile workers - could break away as well.

On Friday, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, with almost 1.4 million members, announced that it will join the Teamsters and Service Employees International Union in bolting from the AFL-CIO.

After peaking at about a third of the work force in the 1950s, unions now represent just 12 percent, and less than 8 percent of the private sector work force.

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