Concessions

Question

Hi, Help me please figure out the meaning of the word concession in this context. "Thousands of auto workers in Canada face the prospect of pay and job cuts today after a $17, 4 billion ( U.S) aid package to teetering General Motors and Chrysler that contemplates significant concessions by American employees.

Concession might be 1. "something you allow something"
2.price reduction
3. right
concessions 4. the thing sold
Thank you.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Help me please figure out the meaning of the word concession in this context. "Thousands of auto workers in Canada face the prospect of pay and job cuts today after a $17, 4 billion ( U.S) aid package to teetering General Motors and Chrysler that contemplates significant concessions by American employees.

Concession might be 1. "something you allow something"
2.price reduction
3. right
concessions 4. the thing sold

'Concession' is based on the verb 'concede', which means, in this context, to give up or surrender a right or privilege, something that you have.

Here's the idea. The employees' unions have contracts with the employers that guarantee wage levels, as well as benefits such as health care and pensions. The employers want the employees to say, for example, 'OK, we kow we have the right to $35 an hour. However, we will give up this right and accept $25 an hour'.

Best wishes, Clive

Olga55 · Answer

Thank you, Clive. I was also baffled by a preposition "by" "contemplates significant concessions ( wages reduction) by American employees. There should be "to" probably or "employers". What do you think?

Clive · Answer

Hi,
"Thousands of auto workers in Canada face the prospect of pay and job cuts today after a $17, 4 billion ( U.S) aid package to teetering General Motors and Chrysler that contemplates significant concessions by American employees.

I was also baffled by a preposition "by" "contemplates significant concessions ( wages reduction) by American employees. There should be "to" probably or "employers". What do you think?

A common verb with 'concession' is 'make' , or sometimes 'yield'.
Here's a simple example.
Tom: I 'd like to go to a movie.
Mary: I'd like to watch TV.
Tom: OK, I'll watch TV with you.
A concession was made by Tom to Mary.

In your example, concessions may be made by Amercican employees ( to their employers. )
The 'to' phrase is implicit because we can understand it from the context.

Best wishes, Clive

MrPernickety · Answer

Hi, Clive

I wonder which word(s) of the sentence the verb "contemplate" refers to. Could you tell me, please ?

My best guess is that it refers to "General Motors and Chrysler" on account of they are the sole employers mentioned in the sentence.

Then another question springs into my mind: why did they use "contemplates" with "s" at the end? There are two companies in question, of all things.

In case you need to read up on the whole article, let me give you a reference to it: http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/556754 (I hope I'm not contravening any rule by posting a link like that.)

Thanks !

Olga55 · Answer

Clive, thank you, got it now.

MrPernickety, like the Star paper, do you?

You have a good question, I'm also interested, why?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I wonder which word(s) of the sentence the verb "contemplate" refers to. Could you tell me, please ?

My best guess is that it refers to "General Motors and Chrysler" on account of they are the sole employers mentioned in the sentence. No, it's 'the aid package that contemplates . . . '

It implicitly means that the people who designed the package designned it with the idea that concessions by the autoworkers were very possible.
Actually, when I heard the news, I didn't hear the word 'contemplate'. I thought concessions were 'required'. I don't know, I'd better read the newspaper tomorrow to find out the true situation.

Then another question springs into my mind: why did they use "contemplates" with "s" at the end? There are two companies in question, of all things.'Package' is singular.

In case you need to read up on the whole article, let me give you a reference to it: http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/556754 (I hope I'm not contravening any rule by posting a link like that.) Don't worry.It's good to give sources.

Clive

Olga55 · Answer

Clive, thanks again. <img src="http://www.EnglishForward.com/emoticons/emotion-75.gif"/>

Yankee · Answer

Hi Alex

"Thousands of auto workers in Canada face the prospect of pay and job cuts today after a $17, 4 billion ( U.S) aid package to teetering General Motors and Chrysler that contemplates significant concessions by American employees.

I agree with Clive. To me, it is the "aid package" that "contemplates" in that sentence.

Anonymous · Answer

Ok so its saying that they are cutting budgets,correct ? well, they have the control to say they will pay you 35 dollars. You are the employee, which obviously explains why you don't have much say in the payment you desire. They state they are giving 17 billions dollars away to a variety of car dealers for their employees. So, there using the word concession as in... Since they are giving away an obseen amount of money, it leaves many American employees to give up and let it be. It makes no sense if theya re willing to give away that much money and tell you that you get less pay, is just not right. yes it is wrong of them to say that you have the right of earning 35 dollars per hour, and then forcing you to drop your amount for something less desirable. Its called Life. I think it is completely cheap of them to not pay ur full amount in which you so clearly deserve. But what are you going to do? its the year 2009 (:

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