商务英语情景口语:罢工和示威游行

A:Do you have the day off today?How come you're not at work now?

B:I don't have the day off. Our labor union is staging a nationwide strike today,all of the workers in our department are supporting the labor union by participating and not going in to work this week.

A:Are you serious? Why would they have to go to such extreme measures like a strike? Doesn't your company have a pretty good corporate image? I'll bet the folks at headquarters are going nuts over something as serious as a strike....

B:It happens quite often,ever there arises a dispute between the union and the executive group,the first thing they do is to call a strike. Usually it only lasts a day or two before both sides can come to an agreement and we start work again. Anyhow,it's a nice,unanticipated holiday...


今天你们放假了?你现在怎么不去上班?
我没放假.我们工会今天要在全国举行罢工,我们部门的所有工人都支持工会,或去参加罢工或这周不上班.
你这话当真?他们为什么采取像罢工这样极端的手段?你们公司的企业形象不是很好吗?我敢说总部的那些人对这样严重的罢工快发疯了…
实际上,这类事情经常发生.只要工会和管理者之间出现争执,他们要做的第一件事就是号召罢工.通常在双方达成一致之前一至两天,然后我们再开始工作.不管怎样,这个意想不到的假日也不错.

Stage: to organize and take part in action that needs careful planning, especially as a public protest 组织;筹划
to stage a strike/demonstration/march/protest

strike: a period of time when an organized group of employees of a company stops working because of a disagreement over pay or conditions 罢工;罢课;罢市
the train drivers' strike
火车司机罢工
a strike by teachers
教师举行的罢课
a general/unofficial/one-day strike
总╱未得到批准的╱为期一天的罢工
Air traffic controllers are threatening to come out on/go on strike.
空中交通管制员威胁要举行罢工.
Half the workforce are now(out) on strike.
现在有半数职工罢工.
The train drivers have voted to take strike action.
火车司机投票表决采取罢工行动.
The student union has called for a rent strike(= a refusal to pay rent as a protest).
学生会呼吁拒缴房租.

Nuts: crazy 疯狂
My friends think I'm nuts for saying yes.
朋友们认为我说行是疯了.
That phone ringing all the time is driving me nuts!
那电话铃一直响个不停,吵得我快要发疯了.