VOA常速英语2017--美国称致力于提升全球劳动者权利

The promotion¹ of labor² rights is an integral part of United States foreign policy. U.S. Special Representative for International Labor Affairs Sarah Fox says supporting fundamental worker rights, such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, are an important part of U.S. economic diplomacy³:

“Labor Rights are human rights, but they're also economic rights. And workers being able to exercise these rights is very important to building economies in which prosperity and the benefits of growth are broadly shared. This in turn contributes to stability, to democracy and to building the kinds of prosperous, peaceful societies in which everyone feels that they are part of the economy, that they have opportunity, which is what we promote over all. So it fits very well into many threads of our foreign policy agenda.”

Special Representative Fox and her team at the U.S. State Department have worked closely with foreign governments and stakeholders to address worker rights in countries such as Bangladesh, where the Rana Plaza⁴ clothing factory collapse⁵ killed 1,137 people in 2013:

“We came together -- the U.S. government with the European Union, with Canada, with the International Labor Organization, with the government of Bangladesh on what we call the Sustainability Compact to help improve labor rights and worker safety and health in that sector⁶. So that's been a big focus on our work.”

Members of the Sustainability Compact work with private sector stakeholders and the United Nations to fulfill⁷ short and long term commitments related to respect for labor rights; structural⁸ integrity of buildings; occupational safety and health; and responsible business conduct. On-the-ground work has included safety inspections⁹ in some 4000 factories. The group has also worked with the United Nations International Labor Organization and with the Bangladeshi government on reforming labor laws, developing mechanisms¹⁰ to facilitate union registration¹¹, and on investigation¹² and prevention of unfair labor practices.

The United States will continue to engage Bangladesh and other governments to improve worker rights around the world.

提升劳动权是美国外交政策不可分割的一部分。美国国际劳动事务特别代表莎拉福克斯(Sarah Fox)说，支持劳动者的基本权利（如结社自由以及劳资谈判权）是美国经济外交政策的重要组成部分。

“劳动权既是人权的组成部分，同时也属于经济权利。劳动者对劳动权的行使，对于构建繁荣强盛、发展利益广泛共享的经济社会是十分重要的。而这样的经济社会反过来又能促进稳定、提升民主、加速繁荣和平的社会的构建。在这样的社会中，每个人都会感到自己是经济运转的螺丝钉，每个人都能感到自己有拼搏的机会。这就是我们终极目标。所以，提升劳动权与我国外交议程的多条主线完美契合。”

一直以来，福克斯及其国务院团队都在与多个国外政府和利益相关方密切合作，以解决包括孟加拉国等国家在内的劳动者权利问题。以孟加拉国为例，拉纳大厦(Rana Plaza)服装厂的坍塌事故曾于2013年致1137名职工死亡。

“我们美国政府与欧盟、加拿大、国际劳工组织(International Labor Organization)、孟加拉国政府一道，致力于可持续性契约组织的构建，以助力提升该领域的劳动权、劳动者安全和健康。所以这一直都是我们工作的重点。”

可持续性契约组织的成员国与私营企业的利益相关方以及联合国一道，履行短期和长期承诺，具体有关于：对劳动权的尊重、楼体的结构完整性、职业安全与健康、职业道德与职业操守。目前已在近4000个工厂内进行了实地的安全检查。该组织还与联合国国际劳工组织以及孟加拉国政府合作，对多个劳动法进行了改革，发展了促进联盟注册的机制，并阻止和研究了多个不正当劳动行为。

美国将继续与孟加拉国和其他国家一道，提升全球劳动者的权利。

1 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

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 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

4 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

5 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

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 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

8 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

9 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。