english

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Exercise 2

Listen to the following extract from the recording which shows how the situation progressed at the Pension Fund Meeting. Try to complete the gaps, using no more than three words in each case.

Grant: Well, gentlemen, this isn't going … … … very long. You've seen

Peter: There seems to be … … … , H.G. You see, Hardiman left us … … … , as you know.

Grant: I know very well he did. I've just said so.

Peter: Quite so. But I felt I should look up … … of … … . Ian, of course, is already aware of this. It seems that if … … of employment is interrupted … … … six months a further period … … … has to be worked before the employee … … … a full pension. If Hardiman continues with us until he's … … … , that is, in three years' time, there is, of course, … … . He will be … … . But as things stand at present he would get, at … … … only about … … of his pension. And we … … … that situation with such an old employee. It would

… … … no good at all. He will, naturally, have … … … out of the company's funds to make … … up to … … … .

Grant: But that's preposterous!

Peter: But it does seem to be … … … to do.

Grant: We'll just have … … … .

Peter: That would require … … … , of course.

Grant: Oh dear!

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Exercise 3

Listen to the following the conversation between H.G., Peter and Ian. All the remarks are mixed up. Put them in the order they appear in the Unit. Supply the remarks with the names of their authors.

AWell, you win. We keep Hardiman on for three more years. But, Peter, I shall expect you to use your undoubted ingenuity in making full use of him.

BNo, that would be a very dangerous precedent. No, no. I won't consider that. Ian, this is your scheme, I'm sure.

COf course, sir.

DYou don't think we could pay the remaining pension out of the company's profits?

EMine, H.G.?

1.2. 3. 4. 5.

Exercise 4

Act as an interpreter.

Ian: Well done, Peter.

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. Ian: What's that?

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. Ian: Wouldn't Grant take over as Chairman?

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. Ian: What percentage does he hold?

: , 50%. 50%,

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Ian: What'll happen to Ambrose Harper's shares?

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: , .

. Ian: She wouldn't be able to sell them, would she?

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Exercise 5

1.Consider the following points. Share your ideas with a partner or a small group. Be prepared to explain your answers to the class.

a)Why ought Bob Hardiman to be saved from redundancy?

b)Does Bob Hardiman qualify for a pension and is he entitled to the full one?

c)What is H.G.’s point of view concerning Bob Hardiman’s pension?

d)What do the articles of the pension fund read?

2.Recount the situation as if you were Bob Hardiman.

3.Suppose you are Peter Whiles. Why are you so upset about Ambrose Harper’s health?

4.Render the situation as if you were Ian Hampden.

5.Analyse the situation in Harper & Grant Ltd. as if you were a likely competitor willing to take over the company.

6.Act out a conversation which could have taken place in this situation between

a.Peter Wiles and Bob Hardiman;

b.Hector Grant and William Buckhurst;

c.Peter Wiles and John Martin;

d.a TV commentator on social issues and Bob Hardiman;

e.Ambrose Harper, Peter Wiles and Ian Hampden.

Phrase list

Listen to the tape and practise the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations, quote the sentences in which they are used in the unit. Consult a dictionary and translate them into Russian.

Phrase list

to have a closed shop office staff

clerical union

to pay a subscription

to collect union dues (on the premises) shop steward

medical schemes legal aid

to introduce a profit-sharing scheme to take a cut in wages

to clock in

Trying to cheat the system is a very serious offence. to dismiss staff / a case of dismissal

the employees’ welfare

straightforward affair to get one’s pay docked

to punch the card for some time to affect the issue

to pay overtime (time and a half)

to have smth (a walk-out) on one’s hands to bring something up

to press a wage claim

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Task I

Consider the introduction to the unit. Answer the following questions and be ready to give a story line. Use the word combinations in brackets.

1. Do Harper & Grant make it a condition of employment that a worker must belong to a certain trade union? What does that mean?

(to have a closed shop; to be members of one or other of the unions; toolmakers; skilled machiners (machinists); sheet-metal workers; assemblyshop workers; fitters; electricians; office staff; to belong to a clerical union)

2.What does being a member of a trade union mean?

(to pay a subscription: to pay a sum of money regularly to the particular union; to be referred to as union dues; to look after union's affairs: a shop steward; to be elected by the workers on the shop floor)

3. What are the responsibilities of a shop steward?

(to be at the day-to-day level of representation between a company and a union; to represent the workers in a particular shop, or department; to be recognised by the management; to serve as a channel of communication both ways; to be allowed to collect union dues on the premises; to hold meetings in the factory or office block; to do something with the permission of the management)

4. In what way do the trade unions use their funds?

( to obtain the best possible working conditions for the members, to organise medical schemes; insurance and legal aid; to use (part of their) funds; the money collected from the members; to pay a weekly sum of money to the members; to be out on official strike)

5. What is called an official strike:

(to be recognised by the union; strike pay; to be compared with the workers' normal wages; to draw a pay; a “wild cat” strike)

6. Do management and unions always cooperate?

(the relationship between management and unions; to be ambitious; to get personal power; to have a grievance; to make somebody angry or annoyed; to create trouble in the works; to help put pressure on the management; in connection with something; a claim for a general wage increase; to be underpaid; to be reluctant; to increase wages; to be forced to do something; to introduce a profit-sharing scheme; to share directly in the results of harder work or better organization)

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7. What difficulties and problems do good employee-management relations present?

(to be prepared to take a cut in wages; to have a bad year; to solve problems; to have good relations with the employees; to be a comparatively small 'family' firm)

8. In what way do the management regulate the going-on activities?

(to clock in; to punch a mark on the worker's time card; to correspond with something; to cheat the system; to be a very serious offence; to consult somebody about something; an operative; to ignore the rules)

9. What does the work of a Personnel Manager entail?

(the chief responsibilities; to employ and dismiss staff; to look after somebody / something; to improve the employees' welfare and conditions of work)

Task2

Give the English equivalents for the following word combinations:

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Task 3 Exercise 1

Listen to the following the conversation between Ted Fielding and Ian Hampden. All the remarks are mixed up. Put them in the order they appear in the Unit. Supply the remarks with the names of their authors.

E … But the point is the man was clocked in at eight o'clock. Symes, who stands by the time clock, swears he saw nothing irregular.

F … But that's a straightforward affair. He simply gets his pay docked. That's why we have a clocking-in system.

G … Is Symes reliable?

H … One of the press operatives arrived an hour and a half late. I … Yes, he is. That's why we chose him for the job.

1.2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Exercise 2

Listen to the following extract from the conversation between Ian Hampden and Smith. Fill in the spaces in the sentences below with the words actually used.

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Ian: Then … … … .

Smith: I cleaned … … … last night out of … … .

Ian: Well, that doesn't … … … .

Smith: I … … … for it, shouldn't I?

Ian: But … … … surely...

Smith: Overtime? If … … … I want … … - time and a half, that's … …, isn't it?

Ian: But this is … … … . It has nothing to do … … … . Have you discussed this … … … ?

Smith: There's … … … . If I work an hour … … … I take … … … from my day's work.

Ian: Well, I'm not going to argue about … … … . As I see it, you've … … … . Naturally an hour and a half win … … … your pay this week. And I must warn you that if … … … it will be … … … .

Smith: Just you try … … . You'll have … … … on your hands.

Ian: I'm sorry, but those are … … . If … … … you must … … … ; you know that … … .

Exercise 3

Listen to the unit again and then look at these statements, which you will mark T (True) or F (False) after you have listened to the tape.

1.Ian Hampden suspects that one of the shop stewards is driving workers to confrontation with the management and discusses the situation with the shops manager.

2.Ted Fielding is so much better at handling labour disputes than Ian that he decides to talk to the shop steward himself.

3.Jack Green's always trying to make trouble in the works. He 's been busy agitating in connection with the latest wage claim.

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4.Smith explained away his behaviour and said that he cleaned Mr. Wiles' car last night out of works' time.

5.The private arrangement between Peter Wiles and Smith reads: if Smith works an hour on Peter’s car he takes an hour and a half from his day's work.

6.Smith threatened Ian Hampden that he would have a walk out on his hands if he tried dismissing Smith.

7.If Smith had complained to Peter Wiles about being underpaid Peter would have paid him a bit more, or taken the car to the garage.

8.The labour dispute has been engineered by the District Organiser of the National Workers' Union because he wanted to negotiate a wage claim.

9.Ian thinks there should be some system of profit sharing and is sure that the labour dispute in question is a direct result of ill-feeling in the works.

10.H.G. has always been enthusiastic about profit sharing and is going to bring it up at the Management Committee Meeting

Exercise 4

Act as an interpreter.

Jack Green: I really don't see much point in this meeting, Mr. Hampden. As I said to you this morning, we're going to ask the Union to press a wage claim. And unless you have some concrete proposals to make about a wage increase, I don't think we have anything to say to each other.

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Jack Green: They'll think the same as I do. We don't want talk, we want figures.

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Jack Green: Are you suggesting ...?

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Jack Green: I don't like that accusation, Mr. Hampden.

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Jack Green: I did. He told me about this car business.

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Jack Green: I don't follow you.

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Jack Green: Of course, not.

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Jack Green: I ...er...

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Jack Green: I think ... er ... your ... er ... profit-sharing proposals do perhaps alter the situation. Yes, I'll ... er ... speak to Smith.

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