Уральский социально-экономический институт (филиал) Образовательного учреждения профсоюзов Высшего профессионального образования «Академия труда и социальных отношений»
Кафедра иностранных языков
TRADE UNIONS
ПРОФСОЮЗЫ
Сборник учебно-методических материалов
Челябинск
2012
Trade Unions. Профсоюзы: сборник учебно-методических материалов / сост.
Н.В. Маврина; УрСЭИ (филиал) ОУП ВПО «АТиСО». – 2-е изд., перераб. –
Челябинск, 2012. – 40 с.
Сборник учебно-методических материалов включает тексты по теме «Профсоюзы», упражнения для развития навыков чтения и перевода, а также профессионально ориентированных речевых умений.
Предназначен студентам очной формы обучения всех направлений бакалавриата для аудиторной и самостоятельной работы.
Составитель Маврина Н.В., канд. пед. наук, доцент, заведующий кафедрой
иностранных языков УрСЭИ
Рецензент Кислицына С.В., канд. филол. наук, доцент кафедры
иностранных языков УрСЭИ
Рекомендовано к изданию учебно-методическим советом УрСЭИ (филиал) ОУП ВПО «АТиСО»
© Уральский социально-экономический институт (филиал) Образовательного учреждения профсоюзов высшего профессионального образования «Академия труда и социальных отношений», 2012 ©Маврина Н.В., 2012
Предисловие
Сборник учебно-методических материалов «Trade Unions. Профсоюзы» предназначен студентам очной формы обучения всех направлений бакалавриата, изучающим английский язык. Он является тематическим дополнением к учебнику «World of Work. Мир труда» (авторы: Н.Н.
Колесникова, Г.В. Данилова, Л.Н. Девяткина, Л.В. Гарузова; М.: АТиСО, 2000).
Основной целью учебно-методических материалов является развитие умений и навыков различных видов чтения и перевода, а также профессионально ориентированной устной речи.
Сборник состоит из двух разделов. В первом представлены учебные тексты следующей тематики: «Что такое профсоюз», «Типы профсоюзов в Великобритании», «Структура профсоюза», «Цели и функции профсоюзов», «Могущество профсоюзов», «Конгресс британских профсоюзов». Тексты сопровождаются упражнениями для проверки понимания прочитанного,
активизации лексики по изучаемой теме, развития умений прямого и обратного перевода, а также навыков устной речи. К некоторым упражнениям даны ключи, что позволит использовать учебно-методические материалы для самостоятельной работы студентов.
Второй раздел сборника включает статьи из англоязычных периодических изданий и отрывок из книги, освещающие современное состояние и проблемы профсоюзного движения в Великобритании и США. Они способствуют развитию навыков ознакомительного и изучающего чтения и могут служить основой для устных сообщений, дискуссий, сочинений и т.д.
С целью облегчить студентам работу над текстами в сборник включен глоссарий, который содержит ключевые термины и выражения по теме
«Профсоюзы».
Во втором, переработанном издании добавлен текст «Что такое профсоюз», расширен глоссарий, обновлена информация о Британском конгрессе профсоюзов и ФНПР. Полностью обновлен раздел текстов для дополнительного чтения.
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PART I
Unit 1
WHAT IS A TRADE UNION
1. Read and translate the text.
A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English) is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members (rank and file members) and negotiates labour contracts (collective bargaining) with employers. This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies. The agreements negotiated by the union leaders are binding on the rank and file members and the employer and in some cases on other non-member workers.
Originating in Europe, trade unions became popular in many countries during the Industrial Revolution, when the lack of skill necessary to perform most jobs shifted employment bargaining power almost completely to the employers’ side, causing many workers to be mistreated and underpaid. Trade union organizations may be composed of individual workers, professionals, past workers, or the unemployed. The most common, but by no means only, purpose of these organizations is maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment.
Over the last three hundred years, trade unions’ goals have developed into a number of forms such as more money, less hours, and better conditions, influenced by differing political objectives. Activities of trade unions vary, but may include:
Provision of benefits to members. Early trade unions often provided a range of benefits to insure members against unemployment, ill health, old age and funeral expenses. In many developed countries, these functions have been assumed by the state; however, the provision of professional training, legal advice and representation for members is still an important benefit of trade union membership.
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Collective bargaining. Where trade unions are able to operate openly and are recognized by employers, they may negotiate with employers over wages and working conditions.
Industrial action. Trade unions may enforce strikes or resistance to lockouts in furtherance of particular goals.
Political activity. Trade unions may promote legislation favourable to the interests of their members or workers as a whole. To this end they may pursue campaigns, undertake lobbying, or financially support individual candidates or parties (such as the Labour Party in Britain) for public office.
2.Look up the words in bold in Glossary on p. 33 and learn them by heart.
3.There is a wrong word in each sentence. Find and correct it.
1)A trade union is an organization of workers who want to achieve worse working conditions.
2)The trade union’s leadership negotiates labour contracts with the employees on behalf of rank and file members.
3)Trade unions originated in America and soon became popular in many countries during the Industrial Revolution.
4)Early trade unions often provided a range of benefits to insure members against employment, ill health and old age.
5)An important benefit of trade union membership is the provision of professional training, illegal advice and representation for members.
6)Trade unions may promote negotiations favourable to the interests of their members or workers as a whole.
4. Answer the questions.
1)What is a trade union?
2)Why did trade unions become popular during the Industrial Revolution?
3)Who are the members of trade union organisations?
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4)What does the trade union leadership negotiate with the employers?
5)Who are the negotiated agreements binding on?
6)What does a trade union provide to its members?
7)What forms of industrial actions can trade unions enforce?
8)What legislation may trade unions promote?
5. Using the questions above, speak about the trade union movement.
Unit 2
TYPES OF TRADE UNIONS IN THE UK
1. Read and translate the text.
A trade union is an organisation that employees can join in order to have their interests and goals better represented. Workers will pay an annual subscription and in return will have their interests more powerfully represented than if they had to negotiate with employers on their own.
Traditionally trade unions used to focus their attention on obtaining a good standard of pay for their members but more recently unions are concentrating on protecting the individual rights of their members. This may mean providing legal and financial support and advice for members who feel their employer has discriminated against them or dismissed them unfairly. There are four main types of trade unions as outlined below.
Craft unions. Most craft unions were formed during the 19th century to organize groups of skilled workers within a particular trade or craft, such as engineers or carpenters. Craft unions continue to attract skilled workers who may feel that they have more in common with workers of the same skill, rather than other workers in the same factory. There are two problems associated with craft unions: firstly, wage bargaining becomes complicated when many small unions representing groups of skilled workers are involved; secondly, inter-union disputes concerning relative wage levels, and ‘demarcation’ disputes over the allocation of work between groups of
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workers, are much more likely to occur. These problems weaken the trade union movement as a whole, and weaken the unions’ bargaining position with management, who are able to play on inter-union rivalry. The major craft unions in Britain are the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (AUEW) and the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union (EEPTU).
General unions. Many general unions were formed during the late 19th century to organize the semi-skilled and unskilled workers, who could not join the craft unions. General unions do not confine themselves to one craft or industry and are able to recruit large numbers of workers from wide areas of industry; the sheer volume of members can make such unions very powerful. However, the large number of different groups within such unions can be a source of weakness if some workers pursue sectional interests, or if a conflict arises between different groups of workers within the union. The major general unions are the GMB and the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU).
Industrial unions. Industrial unions attempt to organize the workers in one industry into a single body. This type of union is common in the United States and Germany, and has several advantages. Collective bargaining is simplified as management has a single union to negotiate with. Furthermore, inter-union and demarcation disputes are unlikely to occur, and workers can present a united front to management. The major problem experienced by these unions is that some workers feel that their sectional interests may be submerged within the union, and this may cause disputes within the union, or may discourage workers from joining an industrial union. For example, although the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) sought to represent all railway workers, many drivers are members of the craftbased union Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF).
White collar unions. The first white collar unions were formed at the turn of the 20th century, as employment expanded in the white collar occupations such as teaching, shop work and office work. Traditionally, many white collar workers shunned union membership as they considered that they had more in common with management than the blue collar union members. Added to this, the better pay and
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working conditions of the white collar workers reduced the need for union representation. Today, however, the white collar unions represent the fastest growing sector within the trade union movement. The improvements in pay and working conditions which have been obtained by the white collar unions, together with the growing insecurity of employment in these occupations, have encouraged many white collar workers to become union members. The largest white collar unions are UNISON and National Union of Teachers (NUT).
2.Write out all the word combinations with the word ‘union’ from the text, translate and memorise them.
3.Find the English equivalents for the following phrases in the text:
1) вести переговоры; 2) переговоры о размере заработной платы; 3) преследовать узко профессиональные интересы; 4) споры между профсоюзами; 5) различные отрасли промышленности; 6) избегать членства в профсоюзе; 7) привлечь квалифицированных рабочих; 8) иметь много общего; 9) единый орган; 10) на рубеже 20 века; 11) профсоюзное движение; 12) переговоры о заключении коллективного договора; 13) ущемлять интересы; 14) распределение работы между работниками; 15) отсутствие гарантированной работы.
4. Use the information from the text to complete the table.
Type of |
Craft |
General |
Industrial |
White collar |
trade union |
unions |
unions |
unions |
unions |
First formed |
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Members |
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Advantages |
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Problems |
|
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Major unions |
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5. Speak about the types of trade unions in the UK using the table you have filled in.
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Unit 3
UNION ORGANIZATION
1. Read and translate the text.
Although internal union organization varies from union to union, certain common characteristics do exist in their administrative structures. The following description could broadly apply to most unions.
Members of a union from within a small geographical area form the local unit of the union – the branch. The branch is likely to include workers from several different factories, although very large factories may contain sufficient union members to form a branch. The branches of some unions are based on an individual workplace; in the National Union of Mineworkers, for example, the branch is based on individual collieries. Branch meetings elect delegates to the national conference of the union and discuss local issues. In the larger unions branches also send delegates to regional or area committees, which are groups of branches.
The yearly annual conference is the policy making body of the union, and its decisions determine the path that a union follows. The day to day running of the union is the responsibility of the National Executive, which meets regularly. In some unions the members of the National Executive are elected by the annual conference, in others they are elected by a national ballot or a local ballot if the executive member is to specifically represent an area. Many unions use a combination of the two methods, electing the most senior officers by ballot. The most important member of the National Executive is the General Secretary or President of the union. The General Secretary and other members of the National Executive are normally responsible for national negotiations with employers. They also represent the views and interests of their members to the government and other organizations.
2. Match parts of the word combinations from the text.
1) |
individual |
a) |
local issues |
2) |
negotiations with |
b) |
conference |
3) |
geographical |
c) |
structure |
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4) |
annual |
d) |
area |
5) |
regional |
e) |
characteristics |
6) |
to elect |
f) |
delegates |
7) |
to discuss |
g) |
running |
8) |
day to day |
h) |
committee |
9) |
national |
i) |
ballot |
10) |
general |
j) |
secretary |
11) |
to meet |
k) |
employers |
12) |
senior |
l) |
officer |
13) |
common |
m) |
workplace |
14) |
administrative |
n) |
regularly |
3. Are the sentences true or false? Correct the false ones with the right information.
1)Though unions’ administrative structures differ, internal union organizations are alike.
2)A branch is a local unit of the union.
3)The branch usually includes employees from a wide geographical area.
4)Branch delegates are elected at the national conference of the union.
5)Groups of branches can form regional or area committees.
6)The union follows the path determined by the annual conference.
7)The union is run by the National Executive.
8)All members of the National Executive are elected by a local or national ballot.
9)The General Secretary represents the interests of employers and the government.
4. Speak about the union organization mentioning the responsibilities of the following:
branch (local unit);
regional/area committee;
National Executive;
General Secretary (President);
annual conference.
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