VOA标准英语2009年-Global Wages Drop Despite Economic Recover

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
03 November 2009

The International Labor¹ Organization reports global growth in real wages slowed dramatically in 2008 as a result of the economic crisis and wages are expected to drop even further this year, despite signs of a possible economic recovery. The ILO warns of worse times ahead. The agency has just issued an update of its Global Wage Report. 

 
Job seekers look for job postings on computers at JobTrain job training facility in Menlo Park, California (File)
 
The report says the deterioration² of real wages around the world calls into question the true extent of an economic recovery, especially if government rescue packages are phased out too early.

In a sample of 53 countries for which data are available, the International Labor Organization finds growth in real average wages had declined from 4.3 percent in 2007 to 1.4 percent in 2008. 

The report warns the picture on wages is likely to get worse this year, despite indications of an economic rebound³. ILO Specialist on the Conditions of Work and Employment, Patrick Belser, says declining wage rates are linked to the levels of unemployment.

"The quite dramatic unemployment figures, which we now see in some of the countries, this strongly suggests that there will be greater pressure on wages in the future as more people will be unemployed⁴, more people will be looking for jobs and the pressure on employers to raise wages to attract workers will decline," he said. "So, we expect that the second part of the year will not be very good in terms of wage growth."

The report finds more than a quarter of the countries experienced flat or falling monthly wages in real terms. They include, the United States, Austria, Costa Rica, South Africa and Germany.

ILO Economists⁵ say some nations have come up with polices to lessen⁶ the impact of lower wages during the economic crisis. An example of these is work sharing with government subsidies⁷.

Under this scheme, the number of individual working hours is reduced in an effort to avoid layoffs⁸. For this scheme to work, the government must provide wage subsidies to compensate⁹ for lost pay due to the shorter hours.

Besler says a second important finding in the report is that both developed and developing countries have strengthened their minimum wages in recent years. He calls this good news.

"A large number of countries, including major economies such as the U.S., Brazil, Russia, and also Japan have increased minimum wages by more than inflation figures in 2008. And, these countries have also addressed their minimum wages further in 2009," said Belser. "The ILO considers, as you know that minimum wages are an important tool for social protection and that everyone should have access to decent minimum living wage."

The ILO also says the United States is reporting slightly higher rates of unemployment than Europe.

October figures show a 9.4 percent U.S. jobless rate compared to 8.8 percent in the European Union.

The report notes the link between productivity growth and wage increases is essential for economic and social sustainability.

It argues companies should be able to achieve competitiveness through rising productivity rather than by cutting labor costs. And, it says workers should have enough bargaining position to defend their wages.

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 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。

3 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

4 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

5 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

7 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

9 compensate   

vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消

参考例句：

• She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。
• Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。