54   I can describe working conditions

Job questionnaire

1     Do you feel your job is stressful?  

________________

2     How much time off do you get every year?

________________

3     Do you ever have to do shift work?     

________________

4     Do you often have to work overtime?  

________________

5     Do you normally receive an annual bonus? 

________________

6     Are you entitled to sick pay?  

________________

7     Do you have the right to join a trade union?      

________________

8     Do people in your kind of job ever go on strike?

 

Glossary

working conditions  the arrangements made at a place of work for physical comfort and safety.

stressful  making you worry a lot. stress N.

shift work  a pattern of work in which you sometimes work during the day and sometimes at night.

overtime  the time you spend working after your normal working hours (you can work overtime or do overtime INF).

bonus  an extra payment that is added to what you normally receive.

sick pay  money you receive when you are ill and cannot work.

be entitled to (do) sth  be allowed sth or to do sth because it is the law. SYN have the right to (do) sth.  

union OR trade union  an organization of people in the same kind of work who try to get better pay and working conditions for their members.

go on strike  refuse to work for a period of time as a protest for more money, better conditions, etc.

 

spotlight  time off

If you have, get or take time off, you are not at work, school, etc. perhaps because you’re ill, or on holiday.

I had a day off to go to a wedding.

He’s taking a month off work.

 2     Write the words in the correct order, and add the final word.

►   you / working / have / good / do  Do you have good working conditions?

1     is / she / trade / member / a / of / a / ? ________________

2     we / sick / are / to / entitled / ? ________________

3     take / like / to / I’d / week / a . ________________

4     you / shift / don’t / why / like / ?      ________________

5     I / left / today; / time / on / didn’t / I / do . ________________

6     go / why / the / on / did / workers / ? ________________

1     Is she a member of a trade union?

2     Are we entitled to sick pay?

3     I’d like to take a week off.

4     Why don’t you like shift work?

5     I left on time today; I didn’t do overtime.

6     Why did the workers go on strike?

3     ABOUT YOU If you have a job, write your answers to the questionnaire. If you haven’t got a job, ask a student who has.

Answers from a British person

1     Yes, it is very stressful.

2     We get 25 days’ holiday each year.

3     No, we don’t do shift work.

4     Yes, I regularly work overtime.

5     We sometimes get a small bonus if the year has been good financially.

6     Yes, we are entitled to sick pay.

7     Yes, we have a trade union, which we have a right to join.

8     It is very rare for people at my place of work to go on strike. 

4     Test yourself. Cover the glossary words and look at the meanings. Say the words.