Английский язык для экономистов
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Unit 1LABOR RELATIONSA. Preliminary discussion
B. Pre-reading exercisesB.1 Skim the text and give its key idea.B.2 Scan the text for the following information.
C. ReadingC.1 Read the text and answer the questions.
COLLECTIVE BARGAININGC.R. McConnell, S.L. Brue Despite the decline of unionism, collective bargaining—the negotiation of labor contracts—remains an important feature of labor-management relations. The goal of collective bargaining is to establish a “work agreement” between the firm and the union. The Work Agreement Collective bargaining agreements (contracts) assume many forms. Some contracts are brief, taking up only 2 or 3 pages; others are lengthy and highly detailed, requiring 200 or 300 pages of print. Some agreements involve only a local union and a single plant; others set wages, hours, and working conditions for entire industries. Typically, however, collective bargaining agreements cover several topics. Union Status and Managerial Prerogatives As for union status, the closed shop affords the union the greatest security. In a closed shop, a worker must be (or become) a member of the union before being hired. Under Federal labor law, such shops are illegal in industries other than transportation and construction. In contrast, a union shop permits the employer to hire nonunion workers but provides that these workers must join the union within a specified period, say, 30 days, or relinquish their jobs. An agency shop requires nonunion workers to pay union dues or donate an equivalent amount to charity. Union and agency shops are legal, except in the 20 states which expressly prohibit them through so-called right-to-work laws. In the open shop, an employer may hire union or nonunion workers. Those who are nonunion are not obligated to join the union or pay union dues; they may continue on their jobs indefinitely as nonunion workers. Nevertheless, the wage, hours, and working conditions set forth in the work agreement apply to the nonunion workers as well as the union workers. The management side of the union-status issue is managerial prerogatives. Most work agreements contain clauses outlining certain decisions reserved solely for management. These prerogatives usually cover such matters as size and location of plants, products to be manufactured, types of equipment and materials to be used in production and in production scheduling. Wages and Hours The focal point of any bargaining agreement is wages and hours. Both labor and management press for the advantage in wage bargaining. The arguments which unions use most frequently in demanding (and by the firm in resisting) wage boosts are (I) “what others are getting,” (2) the employer’s ability to pay, based on its profitability, (3) increases in the cost of living, and (4) increases in labor productivity. In some cases, unions achieve success in tying wages to the cost of living through cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) clauses. Hours of work, voluntary versus mandatory overtime, holiday and vacation provisions, profit sharing, and fringe benefits—health plans and pension benefits—are other contract issues which must be addressed in the bargaining process. Seniority and Job Protection The uncertainly of employment in a market economy, along with the fear of antiunion discrimination on the part of employers, has made workers and their unions “job conscious.’ The explicit and detailed provisions covering job opportunities which most agreements contain reflect this concern. Unions stress seniority (length of service) as the basis for worker promotion and for layoff and recall. They want the worker with the longest continuous service to have the first chance at relevant promotions, be the last one laid off, and be the first one recalled from layoff. In recent years, unions have become increasingly sensitive to losing jobs to nonunion subcontractors and to overseas workers. Unions sometimes seek limits on the firm’s ability to subcontract out work or to relocate production facilities overseas. Grievance Procedures Even the most detailed and comprehensive work agreement cannot spell out all the specific issues and problems which might occur during its life. For example, suppose that Nelson gets reassigned to a less pleasant job. Was this reassignment for legitimate business reasons or, as Nelson suspects, because of a personality conflict with a particular manager? Labor contracts contain grievance procedures to resolve such matters. The Bargaining Process The date for the beginning of collective bargaining on a new contract is usually set in the existing contract and is usually 60 days before the current one expires. The union normally takes the initiative, presenting its demands in the form of specific wage, fringe-benefit, and other adjustments to the present union-management contract. The firm counters with an offer relating to these and other contract provisions. It is not unusual for the original union demand and the first offer by the firm to be far apart, not only because of the parties’ conflicting interests but also because the parties know they are obligated by law to bargain in good faith. The initial “large demand-low offer situation” leaves plenty of room for compromise during the negotiations. The negotiating then begins in earnest on items in dispute. Hanging over the negotiations is the deadline, which occurs the moment the present contract expires. At that time there is a possibility of a strike— a “work stoppage” by the union—if it thinks its demands are not satisfactorily met. But there is also the possibility that at that time the firm may engage in a lockout, in which it forbids the workers to return to work until a new contract is signed. In this setting of uncertainty prior to the deadline, both parties feel pressure to find mutually acceptable terms. Although bluster and bickering often occur in collective bargaining, labor and management display a remarkable capacity for compromise and agreement. Typically they reach a compromise solution which is written into a new contract. Nevertheless, strikes and lockouts occasionally do occur. When they happen, workers lose income and firms lose profit. To stem their losses, both parties look for and usually eventually find ways to settle the labor dispute and get the workers back to work. Bargaining, strikes, and lockouts occur within a framework of Federal labor law, specifically the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). This act was first passed as the Wagner Act of 1935 and later amended by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 and the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959. The act sets forth the dos and don’ts of union and management labor practices. For example, while union members can picket in front of a firm’s business, they cannot block access to the business by customers, co-workers, or strikebreakers hired by the firm. As a second example, firms cannot refuse to meet and talk with the union’s designated representatives. C.2 Decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F).
D. VocabularyD.1 Learn the vocabulary and make up your own sentences. collective bargaining – the discussion held between an employer and trade unions in order to reach an agreement on wages and working conditions prerogative (n) – a special right belonging to a particular person, especially because of the official position they hold closed shop – a place of work where only members of a particular trade union are employed relinquish (v) – to give up dues (n, plural) – regular payments made to an organization such as professional association or trade union by its members set forth (phr v) - to formulate one’s demands, to settle one’s requirements in definite terms cost-of-living adjustment – in the US, a small increase in someone’s pay or pension, made to cover increases in the cost of living voluntary (adj) – acting or done willingly, without being forced mandatory (adj) – which must be done fringe benefits – advantage or service given with a job besides wages (company cars, and loans at low rates of interest) explicit (adj) – clear and fully expressed provision (n) – a part of a law, contract, agreement etc that relates to a particular subject layoff (n)– the act of stopping a worker’s employment because there is not enough work for them to do recall (n) – the act of officially telling someone to come back grievance procedure – the system that a company has to discuss workers’ complaints spell out (phr v) – to explain in the clearest or most detailed way expire (v) – to come to an end; run out counter (v) – to move or act in order to oppose or defend yourself against something in earnest – seriously; in a determined way lockout (n) – a situation in which people are prevented from entering their place of work until they have agreed to accept conditions set down by their employers bluster (n) – noisy or boastful talk bickering (n) – quarrelling, especially about important matters stem (v) – to stop strike-breaker – a person who takes the job of someone else who is on strike designated (adj) – chosen or named for a particular job or purpose D.2 Give English equivalents to the following words and expressions.
D.3 Choose an appropriate word or expression from the box to complete the following sentences. fringe benefits in earnest prerogative countered voluntary strike-breakers stem
D.4 Give synonyms for the italicized words in each sentence below, or briefly explain their meaning.
E. Make a summary of the text. F. Grammar notes The Infinitive § 1. The bare infinitive The base form of a verb (go) often functions as an infinitive. It is called the bare infinitive because it is used without to. We must distinguish it from the to-infinitive, where to is always used in front of the base form of the verb. § 2. Forms of the infinitive
Passive Present Progressive and Perfect Progressive infinitives are rarely used. The Present Infinitive refers to the present or future. We plan to reduce our energy consumption in the New Year. The present Progressive Infinitive expresses an action happening now. We appear to be making very good progress. The Perfect Infinitive is used to show that the action of the infinitive happened before the action of the verb. The problem seems to have occurred during the night. The Perfect Progressive Infinitive is used to emphasize the duration of the action of the infinitive, which happened before the action of the main verb. He looks tired. He seems to have been working all night. § 3. The ‘to-infinitive’ is used
§ 4. The bare infinitive is used
§ 5. The negative We form the negative of a to-infinitive by putting not before to. I soon learned not to conflict with the manager. § 6. We use the infinitive:
§ 7. The split infinitive ‘Splitting an infinitive’ is usually considered unacceptable and should generally be avoided. I want you to understand that clearly. However, we often do separate to from the infinitive in spoken English, depending on where the emphasis falls: I want you to clearly understand what I’m telling you. This often the case with adverbs like: completely, fully, really, truly. §8. Verb + object + infinitive When the subject of the infinitive form is different from the subject of the verb, then an object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) or a noun is placed before the infinitive form. I want him/John to help me. (=He should help me.) but: I want to help. (=I should help.)
§9. Verb in the Passive + to-infinitive is used after: advise / allow / ask / believe / consider / expect / feel / find / force / hear / invite / know / report / say / see / suppose / teach / tell / think / trust etc. He is said to be planning a new campaign. The goods are reported to have been dispatched. I was told not to touch the switch. F.1 Identify all the infinitive forms in the text “Collective Bargaining” and translate the sentences into Russian. F.2 Choose an appropriate verb from the box to complete the spaces in the article. The first has been done for you. negotiate take place go deal act be dispersed drop hand ignore negotiate award ignore field Owners can’t ignore union NEW YORK (CNN money) One of the most influential figures in modern professional sports says he fully expects baseball 1) to field 30 teams next year, and not 2) … ahead with plans announced this week 3) … two teams. “I say it as an illustration of again how foolishly the owners seem 4) … ,” said Marvin Miller about the contraction plans announced by major league owners this week. “The notion that you can just 5) … the union is foolish, and becomes more foolish each time they do it.” Love him or hate him, Miller is someone who is tough 6)… when talking about labor relations in baseball in general and U.S. sports as a whole. Before Miller, owners could and did ignore players’ wishes. They would refuse 7) … with players’ agents, or 8) … multiyear contracts. The owners have apparently come up with a new theory of how 9) … with the players union - if you can’t beat them, pretend they’re not there. They tried 10) … the union their first defeat in the lifetime of most players by simply announcing the unilateral action. Commissioner Bud Selig admitted that management would have 11) … with the union how the players with the two yet-unnamed franchises will 12) … , but not about whether contraction would 13) … . F.3 Read the sentences from ‘The Economist’ advertisements, underline examples of verb + object + infinitive or verb in the Passive + infinitive constructions and place them in the appropriate column in the box below. Translate the sentences into Russian.
G. Speak up G.1 Answer the following questions.
G.2 Discussion topics
H. Reading the English newspaper H.1 Read the article and do the exercises. |
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