English Lounge 2024년 3월 20일 수요일 Topic

1st Session

(Small Talk)

1. Please introduce yourself to members.
2. How are your days at school?
3. What do you do on weekdays and weekends?

4. What is your major?

Which subjects do you take on this semester?

Australian Workers to Get 'Right to Disconnect' Laws

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Australia has become the latest country to pass a law that gives workers the "right to disconnect." That has now become a common term, and it means that employees don't need to be online or answering emails and calls outside their normal working hours.

Or, as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "Someone who is not being paid 24 hours a day shouldn't be penalized if they're not online and available 24 hours a day."

The idea is to protect the rights of workers and help to give people time for themselves outside of work.

But not all Australian companies and employees are clear on what exactly the law will mean for them. And although many people see it as good news for workers, some businesses don't like it and some politicians have said they'll change the law if they are elected.

According to law company Herbert Smith Freehills, the new law will mean that workers may refuse to look at, read or reply to contact from their managers outside of working hours, in most situations.

However, bosses will still be able to send emails outside of working hours. But the law is there to protect workers who choose to ignore messages and calls from their company outside of work hours.

Some say that these laws may not actually change much for businesses, since they are just an extension of laws that say companies must show respect to their employees.

Many companies will have to begin following them later in 2024, while small businesses won't have to use them until near the end of 2025.

-What are your thoughts on Australia's new "right to disconnect" law?

-What is your future job you want to take? Do you think your future job has right to disconnect?

-Are there any rules or policies at your workplace that you'd like to change?

2nd Session

(Small Talk)

1. Introduce yourself.

2. What’s your favourite sport? Why?

3. Do you have good or bad experiences with sports at school?

4. Who is your favourite all-time sport star?

Most Shoppers Are Tired of Unnecessary Packaging

Shoppers have had enough of unnecessary packaging, according to a new survey from the United Kingdom. Think of online stores sending out small products in big boxes or apples packed in cardboard, wrapped in plastic.

A survey by a UK group called the Local Government Association found that 71% of people think that supermarkets and online stores use too much packaging, and they want things to change. More than 2,100 people in England and Wales were surveyed, and 88% thought that packaging should only be made from materials that can be recycled.

More packaging means more waste, and local authorities spend millions trying to manage it.

The survey also found that 85% of people think the government should make companies use less packaging. And almost half of the people surveyed said that the costs of recycling this packaging should be paid for by those companies.

The Local Government Association believes that it's important for local authorities to be able to decide on how they manage waste in their area. And 52% of people said they are happy with the job that local authorities do, while only 6% would like the government to manage waste collection.

In the UK, most waste collection is paid for through taxes and managed by local authorities, although some have decided to outsource their waste collection to private companies.

However, privatization of waste collection has been talked about in the UK and in many countries around the world as local authorities try to cut costs. Across the sea in Ireland, almost all waste collection is managed by private companies, and people must pay those companies to take their waste away.

-Do you agree that supermarkets and online stores use too much packaging?

-Have you ever chosen not to buy a product because it had too much packaging?

-Who do you think has the biggest role to play in reducing waste: individuals, companies or the government?

-What are some small, everyday actions that people can take to reduce how much waste they make?