Accord

ACCORD

Accord is the independent trade union, that seeks to represent the 55,000 or so employees of the HBOS Group. It is a relatively new union, only formed in 2001 from the merger of the staff unions of the Bank of Scotland and Halifax plc (the two businesses that combined to form the HBOS Group in the same year.

Although it is affilliated to the Trades Union Congress, it is not, unlike may other British Trade Unions affiliated to the Labour Party and therefore maintains a politically neutral stance.

Under common law, an "accord" is an agreement to settle an undisputed obligation with some sort of performance that differs from the original obligation.

This is different from a "settlement" or "compromise," which resolves an outstanding dispute. An "accord" resolves an undisputed debt.

The legal distinction between the two is this:

When a settlement is agreed to, the performance agreed to in the settlement becomes binding upon the parties instead of the original obligation. For example, let's say A claims $4,000 from B, and B disputes this amount, but agrees to settle the dispute by giving his computer to A. If B never pays up, A can only recover the fair market value of B's computer: he is barred from raising his original claim of $4,000 because the settlement superseded the original obligation.

In contrast, an accord gives the debtor the option to perform their obligation with the "satisfaction" agreed to in the accord, but if they fail to do so, their creditor can still claim the original amount. So in the above example, if B did not dispute the amount of the debt but offered to "settle" it by giving A his computer, and A agreed to this (forming the accord), A could respond to B's default by either suing for the value of the computer (the amount of the accord) or suing for $4,000 (the original obligation).

Ac*cord" (#), n. [OE. acord, accord, OF. acort, acorde, F. accord, fr. OF. acorder, F. accorder. See Accord, v. t.]

1.

Agreement or concurrence of opinion, will, or action; harmony of mind; consent; assent.

A mediator of an accord and peace between them. Bacon.

These all continued with one accord in prayer. Acts i. 14.

2.

Harmony of sounds; agreement in pitch and tone; concord; as, the accord of tones.

Those sweet accords are even the angels' lays.

Sir J. Davies.

3.

Agreement, harmony, or just correspondence of things; as, the accord of light and shade in painting.

4.

Voluntary or spontaneous motion or impulse to act; -- preceded by own; as, of one's own accord.

That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap. Lev. xxv. 5.

Of his own accord he went unto you. 2 Cor. vii. 17.

5. Law

An agreement between parties in controversy, by which satisfaction for an injury is stipulated, and which, when executed, bars a suit.

Blackstone.

With one accord, with unanimity.

They rushed with one accord into the theater. Acts xix. 29.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Ac*cord", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accorded; p. pr. & vb. n. According.] [OE. acorden, accorden, OF. acorder, F. accorder, fr. LL. accordare; L. ad + cor, cordis, heart. Cf. Concord, Discord, and see Heart.]

1.

To make to agree or correspond; to suit one thing to another; to adjust; -- followed by to.

[R.]

Her hands accorded the lute's music to the voice. Sidney.

2.

To bring to an agreement, as persons; to reconcile; to settle, adjust, harmonize, or compose, as things; as, to accord suits or controversies.

When they were accorded from the fray. Spenser.

All which particulars, being confessedly knotty and difficult can never be accorded but by a competent stock of critical learning. South.

3.

To grant as suitable or proper; to concede; to award; as, to accord to one due praise.

"According his desire."

Spenser.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Ac*cord", v. i.

1.

To agree; to correspond; to be in harmony; -- followed by with, formerly also by to; as, his disposition accords with his looks.

My heart accordeth with my tongue. Shak.

Thy actions to thy words accord. Milton.

2.

To agree in pitch and tone.

 

© Webster 1913.