VOA标准英语2013--May Day Rallies Held Around the World

 

May Day Rallies Held Around the World

A May Day labor¹ union strike in Greece has disrupted ferry service to the Greek islands and public transportation in Athens where demonstrators are protesting against prolonged economic austerity policies.

Workers across Spain, where the unemployment rate has rocketed to 27 percent, are holding rallies to call for economic policy changes.

In the Philippines, demonstrators are marching in Manila to demand the government protect their jobs. They also want the government to stop hiring contract workers who do not enjoy the same rights and securities of regular, full-time² employees.

Laborers³ in Cambodia are calling on lawmakers to increase the minimum wage for garment workers.

Police in Istanbul, Turkey Wednesday clashed with people marching towards Taksim Square, the usual site of May Day celebrations.

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 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

3 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言