What are the responsibilities of a shop steward?

(to be at the day-to-day level of representation between a company and a union; to represent the workers in a particular shop, or department; to be recognised by the management; to serve as a channel of communication both ways; to be allowed to collect union dues on the premises; to hold meetings in the factory or office block; to do something with the permission of the management)

In what way do the trade unions use their funds?

(to obtain the best possible working conditions for the members; to organise medical schemes; insurance and legal aid; to use (part of their) funds; the money collected from the members; to pay a weekly sum of money to the members; to be out on official strike)

What is called an official strike?

(to be recognised by the union; strike pay; to be compared with the workers' normal wages; to draw a pay; a “wild cat” strike)

Do management and unions always cooperate?

(the relationship between management and unions; to be ambitious; to get personal power; to have a grievance; to make somebody angry or annoyed; to create trouble in the works; to help put pressure on the management; in connection with something; a claim for a general wage increase; to be underpaid; to be reluctant; to increase wages; to be forced to do something; to introduce a profit-sharing scheme; to share directly in the results of harder work or better organization)

What difficulties and problems do good employee-management relations present?

(to be prepared to take a cut in wages; to have a bad year; to solve problems; to have good relations with the employees; to be a comparatively small 'family' firm)

In what way do the management regulate the going-on activities?

(to clock in; to punch a mark on the worker's time card; to correspond with something; to cheat the system; to be a very serious offence; to consult somebody about something; an operative; to ignore the rules)

What does the work of a Personnel Manager entail?

(the chief responsibilities; to employ and dismiss staff; to look after somebody / something; to improve the employees' welfare and conditions of work)

 

 

Task 2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations:

· цеховой староста (профорг)	· юридическая помощь
· профсоюз конторских работников (работников административных органов)	· ввести систему оплаты труда, предусматривающую участие рабочих и служащих в прибыли
· поднять вопрос	· увольнять сотрудников
· попытка обмануть систему (учета рабочего времени) считается очень серьезным нарушением	· предприятие, которое принимает на работу только членов профсоюза
· иметь вычеты из зарплаты	· условия быта сотрудников
· конторские служащие, работники канцелярии	· смириться с уменьшением заработной платы
· ситуация, при которой сотрудник подлежит увольнению	· собирать членские взносы (на территории предприятия)
· отмечать время прихода на работу	· платить за сверхурочные (полторы ставки)
· платить взносы	· система медицинского обеспечения
· нести ответственность за забастовку	· требовать повышения заработной платы

LISTENING

 

Exercise 1

Listen to the following conversation between Ted Fielding and Ian Hampden. All the remarks are mixed up. Put them in the order they appear in the Unit. Supply the remarks with the names of their authors.

A …	Have you spoken to the man who was late?
B …	Oh dear, what's it all about, Ted?
C …	Mr. Hampden, we've got trouble in the press room this morning.
D …	Not yet. I thought I'd have a word with you first.
E …	But the point is the man was clocked in at eight o'clock. Symes, who stands by the time clock, swears he saw nothing irregular.
F …	But that's a straightforward affair. He simply gets his pay docked. That's why we have a clocking-in system.
G …	Is Symes reliable?
H …	One of the press operatives arrived an hour and a half late.
I …	Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.

 

1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.	8.	9.

Exercise 2