Or the NYT reporter at https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/business/04auto.html . Or the WSJ reporter at https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122832097499675993 .

Would you prefer the term "sacrifice"? That's how GM described it. ("Importantly, the Plan requires considerable sacrifices from all stakeholders—unions, bondholders, dealers, suppliers, retirees, active employees and executives." - https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/40730/00009501520900... )

Switching to GM's preferred term seems only a surface detail. Compare "Time to make up for 15 years of concessions" with "time to make up for 15 years of sacrifice".

Given the decades of "it's your fault! no it's your fault!" in the antagonistic corporate/union relationship, do you really think it can be resolved in an HN comment?

In any case, my point is the imposition of an arbitrary date means asserting without evidence that the relevant parties will accept that as a fair starting point.