One person close to United said the company would begin negotiating with its unions for deep concessions within days of a bankruptcy filing.

With lenders pressuring it to cut costs, United said it would turn once again to its workers for deep concessions.

Although he failed to force the Big Three to buy parts only from unionized companies, he was able to resist employer pressure for deep concessions.

But it said federal officials balked because United had not shown deep concessions from employees and suppliers.

The executive order was the result of intensive consultations with Congress, which has pressed for deeper concessions from China on human rights.

Press operators and drivers could face more job cuts and deeper concessions than editorial staff members.

But in the intervening months, Chinese industrial and bureaucratic interests began to lobby against such deep concessions.

But federal officials had told United that it needed to get deeper concessions from its employees and suppliers to bolster the application's chances of success.

Thus, with buyers stepping forward slowly and reluctantly, those trying to sell apartments quickly must make deep concessions.

"Our members have already made deep concessions to help the industry survive," he added.