Work

Game

First, a game to test you on the words for some jobs and professions. Cover the column on the right. Who would you contact or call on in the situations below? Then look at the column on the right. Try to find the appropriate person for each situation. Be careful! They are not in the right order.

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Work

Practice 1

[1]The jobs below are grouped according to the results of a survey on average weekly earnings in Britain. Group A earn the most, Group J the least.

1Look through the groups to find the following: employers, employees

white-collar (office) workers, blue-collar (factory and manual) workers,

manufacturing industries (factories), service industries (other), professions, skilled workers, semi-skilled workers.

2Note any jobs that you think are in the wrong group. Which group would you put them in?

3Decide how fair you think earnings are in Britain.

auxiliaries waitresses

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Work

Work is obviously more thanjust having ajob. Here is some union business foryouto consider. You will probably meet quite a lot ofthis language again some time in your career.

1Ifyou are working alone, go straight to task 2. Ifyou are working in a group, roleplay a part of the meeting with the following agenda. (Choose the points that look most interesting.) Before you start, allocate roles. You'll need at least two employers, possibly a full board, then three or four representatives ofthe workforce, each preferably with some special responsibility. Have a few minutes in your two camps now before you begin the meeting, to discuss strategy.

2Write the Directors' reply to some written requests from the union. You will make some concessions, of course, but will want to reject some ofthe proposals.

AgendaforWorksCouncilMeetingwithEmployers19.03.89 14.30

1 Minutes of Meeting of 18.03.89

2 Plans for more job stability: supplementary pensions sickness benefit schemes

Disputes Procedure

Renegotiation of'Hiringand Firing1 Procedures

(motion for the reinstatement ofShop Steward

Jack Hartley, dismissed 18.03.89)

Redundancy Agreement

3Recruitment, Promotion and Transfer of Personnel Training Requirements

Hygiene,ComfortandAmenitiesatWorkplace

4Classification of Jobs, Responsiblity Allowances

5Negotiations for Annual Wage Increase

Provision to relate all Pay to Government's Retail Price Index.

Please add below any other points that you would like to be raised.

6Time and a half and time off in lieu ofBank Holiday working

7Special rates for overtime and unsocial hours

8Double time after lunchtime Friday

9Review ofWorking Conditions + canteen, rest room facilities 10 End of time and motion studies

11 Increase in uniform allowance

12 Flexi-time proposals

13 Workers' representation on the Board

14 Reduction in Hours ofWork, Increase in Holiday Entitlement 15 Minimum Compensation for Industrial Injury

16 Incentive Bonus Schemes

17 Productivity Deals!!!

18Danger Money!

19ProposalsforProfit-SharingSystems

20 Plans for Setting up ofWorkers' Co-operative - w.e.f. next Monday!

Study

An important aspect of work is our position, our status.

Here are some of the ranks in the three British armed services.

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Work

Practice 2

Now look at various ranks and positions you can have in the following places. There are eight gaps. Read items 1-8 and write the appropriate number in each.

Reading

Not everybody has a regular, steady job with a fixed income. Some are self-employed and work for themselves, some work part-time, some work irregular shifts, some are unemployed. Some have a job, but it isn't what it should be. Some are apprentices, earning very little while they are being trained.

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II

Work

Read the words ofthe song below, noting how many people there are who are not Number One. The key-words have been printed on the right so that you can test yourself later.

Practice 3

[1]Describe the structure of a company that you know or of a typical company in your town. Mention the number of employees, the working conditions, the chances for promotion, the directors, etc.

[2]Describe how you think work will have changed in 15, 30 and 45 years' time. What new jobs will there be? Whatjobs will have disappeared? What will most people's working conditions be like?

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Work

[3]Write or act out an interview between a candidate and his or her prospective employers from the point where the interviewee is invited to ask questions.

[4]Write an enthusiastic letter to a friend or your parents after the first week in your first job.

[5]Write the first two paragraphs of a magazine article that has the headline: Is anyjob better than nojob at all?

• Add here any other words about employment you may meet.

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Earning and

spending money

Reading

Look, everyone, I think we ought to try and economise a bit this month -go carefully on our spending money, cut out a few luxuries, just generally cut down a bit. OK?

Below is an English family's budget in pounds sterling for next month. Look at it to see where their money is coming from and how much is going out. Note down how you think they could save money and any differences between this budget and a family budget in your country.

Balance: -£8.50

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Earning and spending money

Practice

[1]Act out or write a conversation between various members of this family, discussing how perhaps they could cut down and save a little money.

[2]Below are a number of ways of saving or making money. Note down which you think are sensible and which you would not recommend. If you are working in a group, discuss your notes. If you are working on your own, write a brief summary of them.

1buying in bulk to beat inflation

2looking out for genuine reductions and real bargains in the sales

3buying supermarket brands rather than brand-name products

4buying economy-size packets and tins of things

5collecting packet tops that offer discounts on the next purchase, have '5p off' labels on them or contain forms for special offers

6looking out for special HP (hire-purchase) deals at good rates of interest

7delaying payment of bills until the final demand

8taking your holidays out of season at cheap rates

9buying second-hand clothes in jumble sales or charity shops

10buying products that offer trading stamps or gift vouchers or competitions with once-in-a-lifetime prizes

11using the telephone at off-peak, cheap-rate times

12shopping only at places where money can be refunded rather than goods exchanged

13changing your foreign currency when the rates of exchange are favourable

14checking your bank statement and cheque counterfoils to make sure there are no errors

15looking after receipts and guarantees

[3]Which expression from the list of comments below would you use about yourself at the moment? Notice how many expressions we have for rich and poor, reflecting our obsession with money, and how we often refer to pence as p in everyday conversation.

He's a multi-millionaire.

She inherited millions (an oil-heiress).

They won a fortune.

She's got more money than sense. They're made of money.

He's a very wealthy businessman. She's extremely well-off.

You're looking very prosperous.

They say we're living in an affluent society.

He'scomfortablyoff.

Money doesn't buy happiness, but it helps.

I'm a bit hard up at the moment, actually.

I'm down to my last ten p.

He's broke.

They're on the breadline.

I haven't got a penny to my name.

I'm afraid we're bankrupt, gentlemen.

Now I know what it's like to be poverty-stricken.

I'm runninginto debt.

I owe money everywhere.

I'm heavily in debt.

I'm a few thousand in the red.

I'm up to my ears in debt.

I wonder if it's true that crime doesn't pay!

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Earningandspendingmoney

Note down the various ways in which shops and firms in your country encourage you to buy their products.

Act out or write a conversation between a friendly bank manager and a newly-married couple. They are asking for advice on financial matters: how to manage their salaries, savings, monthly outgoings, etc.

Act out or write an interview between an employer and an employee who is trying to explain how difficult it is to 'make ends meet' on his or her salary and is therefore asking for a rise.

Write a reply to your bank manager's letter enquiring about your £200 overdraft. Explain why you have one and what you're going to do about it.

Write the opening ofyour speech to a meeting ofyour town's Young Socialists on the inequality in present-day society and the unfair distribution of wealth.

Write the first paragraph or two of a brochure announcing that you have set up as a financial adviser. Outline the services you will be offering, the benefits that clients will receive etc.

Ifyou meet any other words to describe your finances, add them here.

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