2007年VOA标准英语-Unions Threaten To Bring South Africa to a Stan

By Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
25 May 2007

Tens of thousands public sector¹ workers are demonstrating in major centers across South Africa to highlight their rejection² of a government pay offer and their plan to embark³ on an indefinite strike starting June 1. VOA's Delia Robertson has more from our bureau in Johannesburg.

South African public service workers demonstrate towards the Union building in Pretoria, South Africa, 25 May 2007

Last week 16 unions, representing about one million government employees, rejected a four-year wage package offered by the government. The package includes an across the board six percent salary hike this year. But the unions are demanding a 12 percent increase, and they want wages and employment conditions negotiated each year.

The unions are also demanding that the government reduce from 16 to five the number of grades in public service.

Steven Friedman, visiting professor of politics at Rhodes University, says unions are seeking to significantly narrow wage gaps in the public service.

"The union view is that you want a more egalitarian civil service, and therefore it should be a goal of public policy to narrow the gap between the highest-paid public servants and the lowest," he said.

The public service in South Africa continues to face many challenges, including a shortage of skilled workers, corruption⁵, and its failure to deliver necessary services.

In addition, professional personnel, especially in the education and health sectors⁷, have been leaving public service. Analyst⁸ Friedman says that one aim of the government's wage package is to provide more money to attract highly skilled professionals.

"The government view is that you prioritize top jobs, because you want to attract skills and you want to attract top people into the public service, and the only way you can do that is by expanding salaries at the top," said Friedman.

The unions argue that the answer is not to lure⁶ more highly skilled staff with better pay. They say, instead, there should be job protection, annual wage hikes, programs to rapidly fill vacant posts, and egalitarian wages.

At the Pretoria demonstration⁹ Friday, Public Services Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi was whisked away by security staff after receiving a memorandum¹⁰ listing demands from representatives of the hostile crowd, estimated at 30,000.

Next week, Fraser-Moleketi's team will meet with union leaders in an attempt to reach an agreement and ward⁴ off a national strike.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

3 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

4 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

7 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

10 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。