VOA常速英语2019--美国公务员静坐示威 要求结束政府停摆

A silent vigil held at a Senate building across from the Capitol is one of many demonstrations¹ organized by government employee unions across the country to pressure lawmakers to end the shutdown or face retribution in the 2020 election. Voting really does matter because in the upcoming election, this is going to we’re gonna remember who voted in our favor. Since December, about 800,000 federal workers have either been furloughed or forced to work without pay as part of a shutdown caused by a budget dispute over President Donald Trump’s demand for a 5.7 billion dollar southern border wall that Democrats² in Congress oppose.

国会参议院大楼举行了静坐示威，这是政府职员工会在全国范围内组织的众多抗议之一，目的是向议员们施压，让他们要么结束停摆，要么在2020年的大选里吃苦头。投票是很重要的一件事，因为在即将到来的大选中，我们记得那些为我们投票的人。自12月以来，近80万名联邦政府公务员不是暂时休假，就是被迫无薪工作，这都是政府停摆的部分影响。而政府停摆的起因是国会对特朗普总统的一项要求存在争议，这项要求就是要划拨57万美元的资金建造南部边境墙。这是国会民主党所反对的。

So far, these rallies have not forced either side to compromise and union lawsuits³ charging that the shutdown violates labor⁴ laws have stalled, as the courts seem reluctant to insert themselves in a political dispute. Some labor supporters are now calling for more disruptive actions such as a mass sick-out by federal workers that could impact vital government functions. It would be about getting public attention, and even more important, causing the government to focus on this problem. Unions have not endorsed⁵ a massive sick-out strategy that could put employees at risk of being fired. Federal law prohibits government workers from participating in a mass work stoppage. However, the absentee rate among airport security screeners during the shutdown has risen to ten percent. You know, sooner or later, you’re not gonna have to have a mass sick-out.

目前为止，示威联盟还没能迫使任何一党作出妥协，虽然工会发起诉讼，控诉政府停摆违背了劳动法，但诉讼毫无进展，因为各法院似乎不愿意搅进政治纠纷的浑水中。一些工会支持者现在正在呼吁加大示威力度，比如各联邦政府公务员拖病矿工，这样可以影响核心政府部门的运作。做这些就是要获得公众关注，更为重要的是，要让政府关注这个问题。各工会暂未表示支持大规模拖病矿工的策略，因为这可能会让一些员工面临被炒鱿鱼的风险。联邦法禁止政府公务员参与大规模罢工。不过，机场安检人员的缺勤率在停摆期间已经上升到了10%。早晚都要到不得不进行大规模拖病矿工的地步的。

Sooner or later, people aren’t going to have money to put gas in their car to literally⁶ drive to work. Whether caused by a financial need or part of a labor protest, the reduced staffing has caused longer than usual delays at some airports, and could add pressure on the government to end the shutdown.

早晚人们都会身无长物，没钱买汽油，开不起车，上不了班的。无论是处于财务需求还是抗议罢工的原因，人手不足已经导致一些机场延误时间长于往常，这会给政府加大压力，迫使政府停摆的。

1 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

2 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。