VocabularyChoostheoddoneoutandexplainyourreasons

1. astrike anindustrialdispute alockout

2. adivision adistrict adepartment

3. pay wages salary

4. atrainee anapprentice aprobationer

5. aforeman aunionrepresentative ashopsteward

6. anemployer anemployee aworker

7. apost anapplication avacancy

8. acandidate anapplicant aninterviewer

9. araise perks abonus

SHORTTOPIC

PeopleinSpaincanlookforjobsintheSituationsVacantcolumnof
nationalorlocalnewspapers.Nationalnewspaperssuchas"TheABC"
focusondifferentareasofemploymentsuchusmedia,education,social
workandinformationtechnologyondifferentdays.Jobvacanciesare
alsodisplayedatJobCentresandotherEmploymentAgenciesintowns
andcitiesandontheInternet.

Beforeapplyingforajob,youshouldcheckthatyoumeet
therequirements.Theseareusuallyspecifiedintermsofprevious
experience,qualificationsandpersonality.Toshowthatyouarea
suitablecandidateforthepost,itisusualtoencloseacurriculum
vitaewithyourletterofapplication.Therearemanycomputer
programsthatwillhelpyouproduceawelldesignedandprofessional
lookingcurriculumvitae,availablebothfromcomputersoftware
retailersandasfreewareontheweb.

Ifyoumaketherightimpression,youwillbeinvitedtoaninterview;
otherwiseyouwillprobablyreceivealettersaying:"weregretto
informyouthatyourapplicationhasbeenunsuccessful."The
successfulapplicantwillprobablybegivenacontractof
employmentwhichwillcontainthejobdescriptionandthetermsand
conditions.Youshowyouracceptanceofthesebysigningthecontract.

Onyourfirstdayofwork,youmaybeinvitedtojoinatradeunion.If
so,youwillprobablybeintroducedtoyourshopsteward,thetrade
unionofficialwhowillrepresentyouandyourcolleaguesinnegotiations
withmanagement.Soonerorlater,youwillmeetyourboss.Theperson
whoyoureportto,couldalsobecalledalinemanagerordirector.In
factories,workersoftentaketheirordersfromateam
leaderorforeman,whoisanintermediarybetweentheemployerand
theemployees.

SUGGESTEDTOPICQUESTIONSANDANSWERS

A:DopeopleinSpainworkhard?

B:I'dsaytheydo.Jobsaresohardtogetthatifyou'reluckyenoughto
haveone,youknowthatyou'reexpectedtopullyourweight.

A:Whataretheconditionsofworklike?

B:Theyvarytremendouslybetweenjobs.Youcanseewhatthey'relike
forpeopleworkinginsupermarketcheckouts.Theyhavetokeepupor
elseshoppersortheirsupervisorsgetangry.

A:Howaboutinschools?

B:Schoolteachershaveplentytodonowthattheyhavetoadminister
testsaspartoftheNationalCurriculum.Inmanycases,they'vehadto
stoprunningclubsandsocietiesafterschool.Theyusedtodothis
voluntarily,butnowthey'remuchtooexhausted.

A:Doyouthinkthatpublicsectorworkerssuchasteachers,doctors,
nursesandfirefightersshouldbeallowedtostrike?

B:Notifthey'reproperlyrewarded.Theirunionsshouldcometogether
withtheemployersandnegotiatenostrikeagreements.

A:Whatiftheemployersdecidetointroducenewworking
practices?Afterall,thingscan'tremainthesameforever.

B:Anychangeinconditionsshouldbenegotiatedaswell.
A:Andwhathappensifthetwosidescan'tagree?

B:Thenthedisputeshouldgotoarbitration.What'sneededisan
independentbodytomediateinindustrialdisputes.Itmightsometimes
havetoimposeasettlement.

A:Surely,nobodycanforcepeopletogotowork,iftheyreallydon't
wantto.

B:Thentheyrisklosingtheirjobs.Itiswrongtoleavehospitalpatients
withoutdoctorsandnurses.Likewise,strikesamongteacherscan
severelydisrupttheeducationofourchildren.

A:Soyoudon'tthinkeverybodyshouldhavetherighttostrike?

B:Well,Ithinkeverybodyshouldhavetherighttojoinatradeunion.
Thisallowsfreecollectivebargaining.Youcan'thaveeveryworker
makingseparatedealswithmanagement.Thestrikeweaponshould
onlybeusedasalastresortifarbitrationfails.Employeesshouldknow
thatmanagementmayimposealockout.

ADDITIONALQUESTIONSTOPONDER

1.Whatratioofworktoleisurewouldbeyourideal?Answerusing
percentages.

2.Arethepeopleinyourcountryfamousforworkinghardorfor
havingagoodsociallife?

3.Whatjobswouldyoumostandleastliketodo?

4.Whatjobshaveyoudoneinyourlifeandwhatdidyoulikeand
dislikeaboutthem?

5.Whichagegroupsareworstaffectedbyunemploymentinyour
country?Shouldpeoplewhohaveneverworkedbeforebeentitledto
unemploymentbenefit?

6.Whatarethecausesofunemploymentandhowistheproblemsolved
inyourcountry?
7.Dowomeninyourcountryhaveequalityofjobopportunities?Are
theypaidaswellasmen?

8.Aretheremanymigrantworkersinyourcountry?Ifso,whatkindof
jobsdotheydo?Whataretheirworkingconditionslike?

9.Dopeopleleaveyourcountrytofindworkinothercountries?Where
dotheygo?Whatsortofjobsdotheyget?Aretheymadewelcome?

10.Doworkersinyourcountrypayalotofincometaxtothe
government?Dopeoplewithlargesalariespayamuchhigherrateoftax
thanotherworkers?Doyouthinktheyshould?

11.Doyouthinkthateveryworkershouldhavetherighttojoina
TradeUnion?

12.Doyouthinkthateveryworker,(includingdoctors,nurses,
teachers,thepolice,ambulancecrewsandfirefighters),shouldhavethe
righttogoonstrike?