英伦广角 2013-10-05 英国消防员罢工以抗议退休年龄延后至60岁

 It's been a decade since the fire fighters last walked out. The fire brigade union wants to propose¹ changes will mean fire fighters will have to work longer and pay more into their pensions², yet receive less in the time. 80 percent of the union members walked out. Here in the middle London, two generations of fire fighters stood side by side. David Pitt and his son David Junior believe that they are lose out into the changes, which they say could see them having to work into their 60s.

 

-We're here striking³ in response to that situation and give a bigger message out to the public that this is a site for fire fighters and this is a site for members of the public.

-I've been doing the job for over 2 decades, and it takes all upon your joints⁴. And it's harder, harder and harder to do all the job.

 

 

In Leeds, fire fighters blame their senior management, claiming they are looking after themselves and leaving the crews to suffer.

-It may be a short strike in*, but it's already caused its fair share of destruction⁵. The fire brigade union is threatening more industrial action if it doesn't get what it wants. The government will be perhaps quitely worried, but it will not return to the prolonged⁶ industrial action, which we saw more than a decade ago.

Back then, the army drove the engine g* policies. The union wanted a 40 percent pay rise. Eventually, the strike ended when they settled for less than half that.

-We do think this strike is totally unnecessary. The ** issued the same thing that the FBU did not even list in their points when they made the strike action with it, so that it's not part of the strike action.

This time they are training strike breakers. Some brigades, including London and S*, hire private contractors⁷ to stand in. The public of those being warned, but none of emergency calls may not be answered. This four-hour strike has taken place in the middle of the day, away from the rush hour, when the fire services are the busiest, more destruction is likely. 

-The union described it as a warning shot. I think very clearer it is the least I could do in terms of strike action. This would be a fairly quite part of the war.

The strike passed off without major incident. The two sides will now resume⁸ negotiations⁹. If no one backs down, the fire fighters say they will walk out for longer next time.

Mike Martin, Sky News, Leeds.

1 propose   

v.提出，建议；提名，推荐

参考例句：

• Did he propose marriage to you?他向你求婚了吗？
• I propose resting for an hour.我建议休息一小时。

2 pensions   

n.退休金，养老金( pension的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pensions are linked to inflation, whereas they should be linked to the cost of living. 养老金与通货膨胀挂钩，然而它们其实应该和生活费用挂钩。 来自辞典例句
• At the moment they are existing on pensions that are subsidised by the government. 此刻他们正依靠政府发放的养老金维持生计。 来自辞典例句

3 striking   

adj.显著的，惹人注目的，容貌出众的

参考例句：

• There is a striking difference between Jane and Mary.简和玛丽之间有显著的差异。
• What is immediately striking is how resourceful the children are.最令人注目的是孩子们的机智聪明。

4 joints   

接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）

参考例句：

• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
• Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。

5 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

6 prolonged   

a.长时期的；持续很久的

参考例句：

• Prolonged strike action debilitated the industry. 长时间的罢工削弱了这个行业的活力。
• prolonged exposure to harmful radiation 长时间接触有害辐射

7 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 resume   

v.（中断后）继续，恢复；n.摘要，简历

参考例句：

• We'll stop now and resume at two o 'clock.我们现在停下来，到两点再干。
• My resume shows that I have the right qualifications for the job.我的简历表明我正符合这项工作的条件。

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。