The topic for today is ‘’trade unions’’.
Lekcje angielskiego przygotowuje firma 
Task 1
Read the text below to get the general idea:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt used to say that ‘’ it is one of the characteristics of a free and democratic nation that it has free and independent labour unions’’. Admittedly, trade unions were believed to play a crucial role during the Industrial Revolution, but nowadays their significance has slightly diminished. They are no longer as powerful and influential as they used to be, but their achievements are unquestionable.
The underlying assumption of the creation of trade unions was to let workers of various professions to organize themselves legally into pressure groups in order to protect the integrity of their trades and, especially, to protect their rights as employees. The activity of trade unions was basically focused on achieving higher salaries, increasing the number of staff members and fighting for appropriate working and employment conditions at the workplace. Apart from that, their leaders were responsible for bargaining with employers on behalf of union members and negotiating labour contracts in the matters regarding wages, work rules, complaint procedures, hiring-firing guidelines and job promotion, as well as social and employees benefits, workplace safety and policies. The agreements negotiated by a union were supposed to be binding for both parties, mostly had written form, and usually they were signed by representatives of both sides.
The best example of a well-known, internationally recognized, truly engaged and most effective organization of this type was certainly the Independent Self-Governing Labour Union called ‘’Solidarity’’ which, since the eighties, has had a huge impact on both the social and political scene in Poland. It was said to be the first fully government-independent trade-unionist organization in modern Poland, which has made an undeniable difference in the entire Europe.
Task 2.
Study the text carefully and gap-fill the sentences below with correct words:
1. There used to be a ………………… of individual farmers in Poland which dumped agricultural by-products in public places and held blockades on roads or railways.
2. The EU legislation regarding the GMO food is ……………………. for all member states.
3. To protect the territorial ………………………. of the EU, further discussions and negotiations with all the heads of participating states are needed.
4. The idea of free trade unions was based on the ………………………….. that individuals have the right to be represented by their organizations in front of the government.
5. The role of smaller trade unions or other sector-specific organizations has gradually …………………………….. over the past years.
6. The popularity of some trade union’s activists in Poland is ……………………….
7. The union representatives drove a hard …………………. in their talks with the government officials last week.
8. The staff meeting was quite rough in the beginning, but ………………………. it proved to be very fruitful in the end.
9. Candidates for party representatives should be of ……………………………. morale values, high standards and appropriate social backgrounds.
10. It has been frequently observed that not every single union or party …………………………. makes a meaningful political career.
Task 3
Watch the video ‘’A brief history of unions‘’ and answer the questions below:
1. What two groups were created when America was being built?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. What did the owners possess?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. What did the workers do?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Who was getting rich?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Who was dissatisfied with their work?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Why were the workers unhappy?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. What might happen to the employees?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. What did the employees decide to do?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. What could the workers demand?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. What social class was created?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Hit the road, Jack! KEY TO EXERCISES
Task 2.
1.There used to be a …UNION…… of individual farmers in Poland which dumped agricultural by-products in public places and held blockades on roads or railways.
2. The EU legislation regarding the GMO food is ……BINDING…. for all member states.
3. To protect the territorial ……INTEGRITY……. of the EU, further discussions and negotiations with all the heads of participating states are needed.
4. The idea of free trade unions was based on the …………ASSUMPTION….. that individuals have the right to be represented by their organizations in front of the government.
5. The role of smaller trade unions or other sector-specific organizations has gradually ……DIMINISHED….. over the past years.
6. The popularity of some trade union’s activists in Poland is ……UNDENIABLE……….
7. The union representatives drove a hard …BARGAIN…. in their talks with the government officials last week.
8. The staff meeting was quite rough in the beginning, but ……ADMITTEDLY……. it proved to be very fruitful in the end.
9. Candidates for party representatives should be of ………UNQUESTIONABLE……. morale values, high standards and appropriate social backgrounds.
10. It has been frequently observed that not every single union or party ………LEADER………. makes a meaningful political career.
Task 3
1. What two groups were created when America was being built?…The haves and have-nots…….
2. What did the owners possess?…..Companies and industries…….
3. What did the workers do?….They worked very hard but they got the same; they didn’t take a break or they didn’t get overtime pay………..
4. Who was getting rich?….The haves…….
5. Who was dissatisfied with their work?…..The have-nots…….
6. Why were the workers unhappy?…..They worked very hard, they worked as long as their bosses but got the same. There was no guarantee that they would be safe at work…..
7. What might happen to the employees?….They might get hurt or even get killed ……
8. What did the employees decide to do?…..They joined the unity………
9. What could the workers demand?…..Fair wage, safe working conditions, sick leave, pensions and to stop child labour …..
10. What social class was created?…..The middle class……..
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