VOA标准英语2008年-Unions Onboard for Alitalia Rescue

The last unions holding out against a deal to salvage¹ ailing² Italian carrier Alitalia have agreed to the project. But the unions, which represent mostly flight attendants, said this is no cause for celebration. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.
　
Alitalia airline workers show sign at a labor³ union rally that says: 'No to bankruptcy⁴, Yes to negotiations⁵' in Rome's Fiumicino airport, 24 Sep 2008

All nine unions have now agreed to the rescue plan for Alitalia. The last two unions, which represent mostly flight attendants, said there was no reason to celebrate because many would lose their jobs. The unions said they agreed to the deal out of a sense of responsibility.

While fears that Alitalia planes would be grounded have been put to rest, many airline workers continue to voice their discontent.

An air stewardess⁶ who works out of Rome's Fiumicino airport said there is so much uncertainty⁷ because no one knows what will happen. There is a lot of confusion and fears that many will no longer have jobs.

One month ago Alitalia was declared insolvent⁸. Since then non-stop efforts have been underway to salvage Italy's loss-making airline.

Unions and pilots have agreed to a government-backed takeover by a group of investors⁹. Employees have had to agree to longer hours for the same pay. The investors are also looking for a foreign carrier to take on a minority stake.

"That is what we hope because they have the knowledge to make a company. The other 18 people that buy this company, they do not know anything. And also Lufthansa and Air France told them that to have a social peace you have to treat very well the flight attendants and pilots because they are the ones that conduce you around the world," said an Alitalia flight attendant, who says a foreign partner for the Italian carrier is an absolute must if the company is to survive.

Twenty-five-million passengers flew Alitalia last year. The company's new incarnation is expected to take off November 1.

 

1 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

2 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

3 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。

4 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 stewardess   

n.空中小姐，女乘务员

参考例句：

• Please show your ticket to the stewardess when you board the plane.登机时请向空中小姐出示机票。
• The stewardess hurried the passengers onto the plane.空中小姐催乘客赶快登机。

7 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

8 insolvent   

adj.破产的，无偿还能力的

参考例句：

• They lost orders and were insolvent within weeks.他们失去了订货，几周后就无法偿还债务。
• The bank was declared insolvent.银行被宣布破产。

9 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会