Obama Meeting With Labor Leaders on US 'Fiscal Cliff'

 U.S. labor¹ leaders met with President Barack Obama on Tuesday, calling on him to reject deep cuts in pensions and health care for the elderly as he works to resolve crucial government financial issues by the end of the year.

Newly re-elected, Obama is turning this week toward a series of talks at the White House with union chiefs, corporate² executives and congressional leaders about the country's looming³ "fiscal⁴ cliff."  The financial precipice⁵ comprises $600 billion in mandated⁶ spending cuts and tax increases set to take effect January 1.  They are contentious⁷ provisions the president and his Republican political opponents are seeking to avoid, but have been unable to reach agreement on for two years.

Major U.S. labor organizations lent vast funding and campaign support for Obama's re-election victory last week over Republican challenger Mitt⁸ Romney.  They share the president's wish to increase taxes on the country's wealthiest households, those making more than $250,000 a year.  It's a tax law change opposed by Obama's Republican opponents in Congress.

But the labor leaders are also seeking assurances from Obama that he will maintain current spending for the government pension and health care plans for the elderly.  The extent of spending for the two social programs is likely to be a focal point of negotiations⁹ between the White House and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

After the meeting, Rich Trumka, president of the country's biggest federation¹⁰ of unions, the AFL-CIO, said Obama shares the labor movement's goal of treating workers fairly.

"Are we going to collectively stand up and ensure that workers get a fair shake in America?  Absolutely.  Do we believe that the president is committed to that same thing?  Absolutely," said Trumka.

On Wednesday, Obama is planning a news conference, as well as talks with executives from some of America's largest corporations, such as General Electric and American Express.  Many of the U.S.'s most prominent financial titans supported Mr. Romney in the campaign, but the president is hoping to enlist¹¹ their support in persuading Republican lawmakers to vote for increasing taxes on the wealthiest families as part of what he has called a "balanced" plan of cutting spending and increasing government revenue.

The chief executives of 17 big U.S. companies have written lawmakers urging them to reach a compromise on the spending and tax issues.

Obama is meeting Friday with congressional leaders about how to resolve their long-standing stalemate.  The president is leaving Washington Saturday on a four-day trip to Asia.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

5 precipice   

n.悬崖，危急的处境

参考例句：

• The hut hung half over the edge of the precipice.那间小屋有一半悬在峭壁边上。
• A slight carelessness on this precipice could cost a man his life.在这悬崖上稍一疏忽就会使人丧生。

6 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

7 contentious   

adj.好辩的，善争吵的

参考例句：

• She was really not of the contentious fighting sort.她委实不是好吵好闹的人。
• Since then they have tended to steer clear of contentious issues.从那时起，他们总想方设法避开有争议的问题。

8 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

11 enlist   

vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍

参考例句：

• They come here to enlist men for the army.他们来这儿是为了召兵。
• The conference will make further efforts to enlist the support of the international community for their just struggle. 会议必将进一步动员国际社会，支持他们的正义斗争。