美国国家公共电台 NPR--In this economy, it's a good time to be looking for work

In this economy, it's a good time to be looking for work

Transcript¹

The Labor² Department said Friday that U.S. businesses added 390,000 jobs in May as the unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%. The unusually tight labor market is adding to inflation worries.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Whether you're searching for a summer job or a whole new career, it's a great time to be looking for work. Employers are beating the bushes for workers to wait tables, staff assembly lines and keep watch over people at swimming pools. And this morning, we learned that U.S. employers added 390,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%. NPR's Scott Horsley is here. Scott, so how do those numbers stack up with what we've seen in the previous months?

SCOTT HORSLEY, BYLINE³: It's another strong month of job growth, A. It is a little bit of a down shift, but forecasters have been expecting that, not because there's any less demand for workers, but there just aren't that many more workers available. Unemployment was already low at 3.6%. About 330,000 people joined or rejoined the workforce⁴ last month. And that's basically the limiting factor on job gains these days. I talked to Matt Eckert. He runs an amusement park and waterpark in Santa Claus, Ind. He typically hire about 2,200 workers for the summer. So far, he's hired less than that, about 30% less. He's not panicking yet but says he is eager to get those numbers up before the peak of the summer season.

MATT ECKERT: Our full-time⁵ staff jumps in and helps when need be. I've ran my share of rides. I've made my share of pizzas. I've powdered my share of funnel⁶ cakes. And we do whatever we got to do to make sure that we get the job done.

HORSLEY: Eckert's big challenge this year has been finding lifeguards and waterslide attendants, so the park is offering a thousand-dollar bonus for those positions There's actually a nationwide shortage of lifeguards. And that could keep some swimming pools out of commission during the hot summer months.

MART?NEZ: All right. So what else are employers doing to fill that gap?

HORSLEY: Well, Eckert's theme park provides transportation for workers. They bus people in from up to an hour away. Now that school's out in Indiana, he's hoping more students and teachers will be looking for summer jobs. At the other end of the age scale, some employers are hoping to lure⁷ older workers out of retirement⁸. We did see a significant jump last month in the number of workers 55 and up. Tim Fiore surveys factory managers every month for the Institute for Supply Management. He says factories did have somewhat more success filling jobs in May than the month before, but they're still experiencing a lot of employee turnover⁹.

TIM FIORE: There is some improvement, but, you know, there's a long way to go. And I think on the employment side here, it's going to be a slow slog because there just isn't that much labor out there.

HORSLEY: Employers are having to work harder to attract scarce workers. Some are providing more flexible schedules and better benefits. Of course, wages have been going up. Average wages last month were 5.2% higher than a year ago.

MART?NEZ: All right. So it's good to see wages going up. But if prices go up, I mean, how much does it help?

HORSLEY: That's right. And part of what concerns the inflation watchdogs at the Federal Reserve is these wage increases and the effect on inflation, which is near a 40-year high. The Fed's begun raising interest rates, an effort to tamp¹⁰ down demand and get control over prices. But the central bank has also been keeping a close eye on the job market. Former Treasury¹¹ Secretary Larry Summers told The Washington Post this week it's going to be hard to curb¹² inflation if wages continue to climb.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

LARRY SUMMERS: I don't think there's a durable¹³ reduction in inflation without a meaningful reduction in wage growth. And right now, with the labor market so tight, I don't see such a meaningful reduction in wage growth taking place.

HORSLEY: Wage gains have moderated somewhat in recent months, but Summers thinks it's going to take a downturn in the job market for wages to level off. And that's why he's skeptical¹⁴ the Fed can bring down inflation without triggering a recession.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Scott Horsley, thanks a lot.

HORSLEY: You're welcome.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

5 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

6 funnel   

n.漏斗；烟囱；v.汇集

参考例句：

• He poured the petrol into the car through a funnel.他用一个漏斗把汽油灌入汽车。
• I like the ship with a yellow funnel.我喜欢那条有黄烟囱的船。

7 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

8 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

9 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

10 tamp   

v.捣实，砸实

参考例句：

• Then I tamp down the soil with the back of a rake.然后我用耙子的背将土壤拍实。
• Philpott tamped a wad of tobacco into his pipe.菲尔波特往烟斗里塞了一卷碎烟叶。

11 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

12 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

13 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

14 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。