高中英语 VOA常速听力2012年08月合辑（文本）US-Unions-See-Wages-Fall素材.doc

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1、高中英语VOA常速听力2012年08月合辑（文本）US-Unions-See-Wages-Fall素材LaborDayintheUnitedStatesisatimetohonorthecontributionofworkers.Recently,workersintheU.S.havefallenontoughtimes.Unemploymentishigh,whilewagesandbenefitscontinuetodecline--alongwiththeranksoforganizedlabor.Withthep

2、residentialcampaigninfullswing,bothcandidatesareclaimingtheycandowhat'sbestfortheAmericanworker.TomLeeisaformerpresidentoftheAmericanFederationofMusicians,thelargestmusicians'unionintheworld.HebeganhiscareerwiththeU.S.MarineCorpsBandandplayedmanyperformancesattheW

3、hiteHouse.AlthoughunionshaveloststatureintheU.S.inrecentdecades,Leebelievestheystillhaveanimportantroletoplay.¡°IdobelievethatunionshavehelpedtheAmericanpeople.Eventhosewhohavenotbeeninunionsmakegreatstridesintermsofwages,intermsofbenefits,¡±Leesaid.Butunionmember

4、shiphasdeclinedbyabout50percentoverthepast40years.Andlastyear,thestateofWisconsinstrippedmostpublicworkersoftheircollectivebargainingrights.Manyeconomiststhinkthedeclineinmembershipisanimportantfactorinthedropinwages,adjustedforinflation.LawrenceMishelispresidento

5、ftheliberalEconomicPolicyInstitute.¡°Andthisisbecausewehavehadexcessiveunemploymentformanyyearsrecently,butoverthelast30years,wehavehadglobalizationwhereAmericanworkershavebeenpittedwithworkerswithmuchlowerwages.Wehavehaderosionofunionization,¡±Mishelsaid.Accordin

6、gtoMishel'sownreport,theproductivityofU.S.workershasrisenby80percentoverthepastthreedecades.Buthourlywageshaveonlyrisen11percent.Conservativeeconomistsdisagree.AndrewBiggsisaresidentscholarattheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute.-2-¡°Wehavehadsignificantdifferencesinthew

7、ayemployeecompensationispaidout.Moregoestohealthcaretodaythaninthepast.Lessgoestowagesandbenefits.Thatisnotafunctionofexploitation.Thatisafunctionofrisinghealthcarecostsandthosehavetobeborneoutsomewhere,¡±Biggssaid.Biggsarguesthatbringingdownhealthcarecostsandincr

8、easingproductivitywillleadtohigherwages.Misheldoesnotbelievethat'strue.¡°...becauseweseewageshavegonedownforsegmentsofthepopulationthatdon¡¯tevengetheal