2007年VOA标准英语-Labor Unrest Marks May Day in Ghana

By Efam Dovi
Accra
01 May 2007

May Day, also known as International Workers Day, is being celebrated¹ in Ghana with street processions and workers' rallies throughout the country.  For VOA, Efam Dovi reports from Ghana's capital, Accra that this year's celebration is taking place at a time when the West African nation's labor² front remains³ volatile⁴.

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Protesters fight with police officers during the May Day demonstration in downtown Macau 1 May 2007

In 2003, Ghana had a new labor law that many thought would help address frequent workers' complaints.  But four years later, the country's workers, especially those in the public sector⁶, say the government has been unable to meet their demand for better working conditions. 

The result is protests and consistent threats of strikes, the latest by health workers - excluding doctors.  The group has declared a nationwide indefinite strike, despite government threats to withhold⁷ the workers' salaries.

Health workers' group leader Raymond Tetteh says the government has failed to address employees' concerns after several months of negotiations⁸.

"It has taken us 15 months, I think we had enough, we exercised patience,” he said.  "It will be difficult for me to say that they [health workers] should return immediately to work, while I have nothing or the leadership has nothing to present to them."

Also on Monday, officials of Ghana's premier⁹ teaching hospital, Korlebu Teaching Hospital in Accra, dismissed all 90 junior house doctors for embarking¹⁰ on a four-day strike.  Other recent labor actions include a two-day protest last week by central bank employees demanding better working conditions.

The deputy head of the Ghana Trade Unions Congress, Kofi Asamoah, blames the government, the country's biggest employer, for the labor instability.

"Yes there have been a lot of strikes, particularly within the public sector and it has to do with income disparities, particularly where government went on its own way to increase the salaries of health sector workers without recourse to procedures and also without recourse to the fact that there is a salary structure for all public sector employees," he noted¹¹.  "That anomaly has really created a lot of problems."

Asamoah also says most of the problems in the public sector are due to government's inability to properly handle industrial-relation issues.  He says the government has been fumbling¹² even more than other employers.

"Government machineries do not have well-qualified human resources to deal with human relations," he added.  "Because there have been situations where, by the dictates¹³ of the law, workers would have to formally inform government, as their employer, on what to do, and the government machinery¹⁴ sometimes treats those requests with contempt.  You realize that letters are written, replies do not even come as expected.  You can agree with me that when such situations erupt, definitely there will be labor unrest."

Thousands of placard carrying workers took part in processions through the principal streets of Accra and a workers' rally at the country's independence square to mark the day.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 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。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

5 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。

6 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。

7 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

8 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。

9 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

10 embarking   

乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• He's embarking on a new career as a writer. 他即将开始新的职业生涯——当一名作家。
• The campaign on which were embarking was backed up by such intricate and detailed maintenance arrangemets. 我们实施的战争，须要如此复杂及详细的维护准备。

11 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

12 fumbling   

n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理

参考例句：

• If he actually managed to the ball instead of fumbling it with an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动，经常这样结束。
• If he actually managed to secure the ball instead of fumbling it awkwardly an off-balance shot. 如果他实际上设法拿好球而不是fumbling它。50-50提议有时。他从off-balance射击笨拙地和迅速地会开始他的岗位移动，经常这样结束。

13 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。