The conflicting ambitions of two titans of labor, John Sweeney and Andy Stern, are seen as the driving force behind the schism at the AFL-CIO. Yet the battle between the two is a personal one. Andy Stern was groomed to be John Sweeney's protege; Sweeney had been president of the SEIU before he became the AFL-CIO leader. Some see the national split as a personal power battle by two one-time friends, bitterly divided by their conflicting ambitions.
See "Analysis: Ambitions Are Fueling Union Split", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, July 25, 2005