I would go with E, since it is assumed that workers will not accept anything else other than higher wages.

Workers will go on strike if management doesn't increase wages.
To increase wages Bell needs to sell subsidiaries. Subsidiaries will be sold if we assume that:
Management will increase wages. Then workers will not go on strike.
We should find one of these assumptions in the answer choices:

A. Not inferred from the passage, because Bell could sell subsidiaries and not suffer losses.
B. Then Bell's subsidiaries don't need to be sold and workers will go on strike. Since the conclusion is that subsidiaries will be sold, one of the assumptions is that the management will increase wages, opposite to this option.
C. If we assume that the workers will not go on strike, is because the management increased the wages, and will sell some subsidiaries. This is properly drawn with the conclusion of the argument.
D. It's not relevant. He can offer, he can also sell subsidiaries. But this assumption doesn't help us here.
E. If they will not accept a package, it means that the management decided not to increase the wages and decided not to sell some subsidiaries. It goes against the conclusion.

According to this reasoning, C is the best option.

IMO "A" ....."E" is also a contender.

C can't be the correct answer since that is what we can infer from the argument. We need not assume that for the conclusion to be true. If the conclusion is true then only that answer follows. i hope i'm making sense.
Please post the OA.

I chose 'D'. I don't understand how 'C' can be the answer because its not an assumption, its probably an inference from the argument.

Somebody please explain the difference.
_________________

Regards
Ganesh
Class of 2012
Great Lakes Institute of Management
http://greatlakes.edu.in

The workers at Bell Manufacturing will shortly go on strike unless the management increases their wages. As Bell’s president is well aware, however, in order to increase the worker’s wages, Bell would have to sell off some of its subsidiaries. So, some of Bell’s subsidiaries will be sold.
The conclusion above is properly drawn if which one of the following is assumed?
(A) Bell Manufacturing will begin to suffer increased losses.
(B) Bell’s management will refuse to increase its worker’s wages.
(C) The workers at Bell Manufacturing will not be going on strike.
(D) Bell’s president has the authority to offer the workers their desired wage increase.
(E) Bell’s workers will not accept a package of improved benefits in place of their desired wage increase.

Ans:
Conclusion : some of Bell’s subsidiaries will be sold
Premise: in order to increase the worker’s wages, Bell would have to sell off some of its subsidiaries to avoid a strike.

A is wrong as selling subsidiaries could even turn out to be a profit making proposition. If B then conclusion cannot be drawn so its 180. If C then also the conclusion cannot be drawn, another 180. Now if we look into D then its possible that if president has no authority that he may ask those who have authority (such as the Board of members) to implement the wage increase. E is perfect as it says there is no 'improved benefit' alternative to selling of subsidies to meet worker wage increase. It also indirectly accepts that the workers will go on a strike if wage increase is not done. Remember this is not a quasi assumption based question which needs its evidence to be strengthened for the conclusion to stand.

Please PM me if some one has a different line of thinking. Thanks
_________________

Yogesh Agarwal
yogeshagarwala@gmail.com

CONSIDER AWARDING KUDOS IF MY POST HELPS !!!

I find this reasoning confusing as there is no reason to sell the subsidiaries if the workers will not be going on strike.
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Come on Guys Its C , apparent, It can't be A , its totally out of context, where in the paragraph they are talking about Profit or Loss

C is correct because by negating this assumption it implies that workers will not strike and...well there wouldn't be any need to increase wages or sell off part of the business; effectively destroying the argument.

I believe it is C.

I am more inclined towards D.
C tells that workers will not go on strike ,which, in my opinion, is too far a jump in logic. What is the increase is less than the workers expected? They might still strike.

But D tells us that the president has the authority to make such decisions which is in fact clear from the argument.

Any suggestions?

--
Aman