Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. wage
(n.) [weyj] – money paid in exchange for working; payment given to workers
Example: Workers with good
performance get a wage increase.
2. criticized (v.) [krit-uh-sahyz] – to express disapproval of somebody’s mistakes
Example: The nation’s leaders
are often criticized when the economy goes down.
3. response (n.) [ri-spons] – answer or reaction to something
Example: The judge asked the
witness to give an honest response.
4. operation
(n.) [op-uh-rey-shuhn] – business activity
Example: Toyota had to stop
its operations in Thailand because of
the flood.
5. make
up for (v.) [meyk][uhp][fawr; unstressed fer] – to make a bad situation better; to pay for a loss or
mistake
Example: I came to work late
and had to make up for it by working
overtime.
Article
Read the text below.
Foxconn Technology Group’s chairman, Terry Gou, has
promised to increase wages and decrease the
long work hours of employees in Foxconn’s Chinese factories.
This move was done after the Fair Labor Association criticized poor working conditions and
illegal work practices in Foxconn factories. Factories owned by Foxconn currently make
50% of the world’s electronics, including Nokia products and Apple’s iPad and
iPhone.
Foxconn’s original response
to the issue was just to decrease employees’
daily work hours. However, workers complained that they would not be able to
earn enough money because of the lessened work time.
Such complaints have pushed Foxconn to also raise wages which
Gou says the company will continue to do in the future.
Foxconn and Apple have also agreed to improve safety measures,
employee housing conditions and facilities for the 1.2 million workers who
assemble Apple products. Additionally, Foxconn will put an end to unpaid
overtime work and hire thousands of new employees.
In order to make up
for production and financial losses caused by fewer work hours and higher
wages, analysts say Foxconn will not only need to hire new employees but will also need to invest in automated
equipment. The company already plans to build high-tech factories in China’s
Hainan province and to expand operations
in Vietnam and Brazil.
Gou, who has been listed by Forbes as the third richest
man in Taiwan, says the new decisions should take some pressure off Chinese
factories and their overworked employees.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Have
you ever felt overworked? What did you do at that time?
·
Describe
the perfect work environment for you. What things would you like to change at
work?
Discussion B
·
How
can a company keep the well-being of their employees?
·
Why is it important for
companies to take care of their employees?
