中文导读 人们常认为，企业生产率提高后，工人迟早也能分到好处。密歇根大学 10 月 24 日经 Phys.org 发布新闻稿，介绍了该校 Nina Brooks 与斯坦福大学 Grant Miller 等人对孟加拉国砖窑业的多年研究。孟加拉国是全球第四大砖块生产国，约 8,000 座传统砖窑供应全国九成以上用砖，同时也是空气污染的重要来源。研究团队先在数百座砖窑推广更均匀地加煤、改变码砖方式、减少热量散失等不需要新设备的做法，结果发表在 Science 上：能耗下降约 10.5%，排放减少，优质砖比例上升，第二季采用的砖窑还更多了。随后发表在 PNAS 的研究调查了库尔纳地区 246 座砖窑、私下访谈 1,442 名工人：70% 没有防护装备，71% 没有正式合同，约五分之一符合美国国务院对劳动力贩运的定义。燃料成本降低 9.6%、砖质提高 8.1%，但工资、健康、童工和劳动条件都没有改善。研究团队因此转向直接为工人提供防护装备、清洁用水和休息场所等措施，许多窑主表示愿意配合。文章按“常见看法—证据—重新理解”展开，阅读时可留意 however、because、when 如何说明转折、原因和条件，以及 suggests、at least not in the short term 如何为结论划定边界。
正文 When a business becomes more productive , many people expect its workers to share in the gains through better pay or safer conditions . A new study from Bangladesh’s brick industry suggests that this does not always happen , at least not in the short term .
本段译文 当一家企业的生产率提高时，许多人期望它的工人也能通过更好的工资或更安全的条件分享成果。一项来自孟加拉国制砖业的新研究表明，情况并不总是如此，至少在短期内不是。
Bangladesh is the world’s fourth-largest producer of bricks , which it needs for its fast-growing cities . About 8,000 traditional kilns make more than 90% of the bricks used in the country . They also burn a lot of coal and send fine dust into the air . Because the country is so crowded , it is not possible to move every kiln away from schools , hospitals and towns
本段译文 孟加拉国是世界第四大砖块生产国，快速发展的城市需要大量砖块。约 8,000 座传统砖窑生产了该国所用砖块的 90% 以上。它们也燃烧大量煤炭，并向空气中排放细小粉尘。由于这个国家人口非常稠密，不可能把每座砖窑都迁离学校、医院和城镇。
So a research team including scholars from the University of Michigan and Stanford University tried something simpler . Working with owners managers and workers , they taught kilns to add coal more steadily stack bricks so that air could move more easily , and lose less heat None of these changes required new machines . In results from hundreds of kilns , published in the journal Science , energy use fell by about 10.5%, pollution dropped , and owners produced more high - quality bricks . When the team returned the next season , more kilns were using the methods , not fewer .
本段译文 因此，一个包括密歇根大学和斯坦福大学学者在内的研究团队尝试了更简单的办法。他们与窑主、管理人员和工人合作，教砖窑更均匀地添加煤炭、改变码砖方式让空气更容易流通，并减少热量散失。这些改变都不需要新机器。在发表于《Science》期刊、涉及数百座砖窑的结果中，能耗下降了约 10.5%，污染减少，窑主生产出更多优质砖。当团队在下一个生产季回访时，使用这些方法的砖窑不是更少，而是更多了。
The second study , published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and reported on October 24, asked a harder question : did workers benefit ? The researchers visited 246 kilns and talked in private with 1,442 workers . They found that 70% had no protective equipment and 71% had no formal contract . About one in five workers met the US government’s definition of labour trafficking , and adult workers reported child labour at more than 70% of the kilns .
本段译文 第二项研究发表在《美国国家科学院院刊》上，并于 10 月 24 日被报道，它提出了一个更难的问题：工人是否从中受益？研究人员走访了 246 座砖窑，私下访谈了 1,442 名工人。他们发现，70% 的工人没有防护装备，71% 没有正式合同。约五分之一的工人符合美国政府对劳动力贩运的定义，而且成年工人报告称，超过 70% 的砖窑存在童工。
The new methods clearly changed the business Fuel costs fell by 9.6%, and brick quality rose by 8.1%. However , the researchers found no improvement in wages health , child labour or other working conditions . They argue that when workers are in debt and have little power to bargain , the gains from higher productivity cannot be expected to reach them on their own .
本段译文 新方法明显改变了生意本身。燃料成本下降了 9.6%，砖的质量提高了 8.1%。然而，研究人员发现工资、健康、童工或其他劳动条件都没有改善。他们认为，当工人背负债务、几乎没有议价能力时，不能指望生产率提高带来的收益会自动惠及他们。
That finding has moved the project in a new direction . During the latest brickmaking season , the team asked owners in one area to provide masks , goggles , safe shoes and helmets , as well as clean water , toilets and shaded places to rest . Many owners were open to the idea . One researcher said owners saw the cost as small compared with running a kiln , and believed workers would do better work as a result .
本段译文 这一发现让项目转向了新的方向。在最近一个制砖季，团队请某一地区的窑主为工人提供口罩、护目镜、安全鞋和头盔，以及清洁用水、厕所和有遮阴的休息场所。许多窑主对此持开放态度。一位研究人员说，窑主们认为与经营砖窑的开支相比，这笔费用很小，并且相信工人会因此干得更好。
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