美国总统奥巴马每周电台演讲2014.03.18

Hi, everybody.  In this year of action, I’m doing everything I can, with or without Congress, to expand opportunity for more Americans.  This week, I ordered a review of our nation’s overtime rules, to give more Americans the chance to earn the overtime pay they’ve worked for.

Here’s why this matters.  Our businesses have created 8.7 million new jobs over the past four years.  But in many ways, the trends that have battered the middle class for decades have grown even starker.  While those at the top are doing better than ever, average wages have barely budged.  Too many Americans are working harder than ever just to keep up.

大家好。在这个行动年，不管国行支持部支持，我将尽一切可能为更多美国人增长机会。本周，我下令审查全国的加班法规，以给更多美国人机会得到他们工作应该得到的加班费。
以下是为什么这就是很重要。我们的企业已经在过去四年里创造了8百70万个新就业机会。但是这些几十年来损害了中产阶级的趋势已经以多种方式更加凸显了。尽管那些最富裕的人们过得比以往任何时候都好，平均工资却寸步难移。太多的美国人比以往任何时候都努力工作却只能维持。

We’ve got to build an economy that works for everybody, not just a fortunate few.  We know from our history that our economy grows best from the middle out, when growth is more widely shared.  So we’ve got to restore opportunity for all – the idea that with hard work and responsibility, you can get ahead.

Now, for more than 75 years, the 40-hour workweek and the overtime protections that come with it have helped countless workers climb the ladder of success.  But today, an overtime exception originally meant for highly-paid employees now applies to workers who earn as little as $23,660 a year.  It doesn’t matter if you do mostly physical labor, or if you work 50, 60, even 70 hours a week.  Your employer may not have to pay you a single extra dime.   

我们必须打造一个为每个人服务的经济，而不是为少数走运的人服务的经济。以史为鉴，我们知道中产阶级兴、发展惠及大多数则经济旺。所以我们必须重塑所有人的机会--一个只要努力工作承担责任就能致富的理想。
75年来，每周40小时工作制和与之相伴的加班保护帮助无数工人们爬上成功的阶梯。但是今天，本来是适用于高收入雇员的加班例外现在被用到了年收入仅236,60美元的低收入工人们身上。它可不管你是否主要从事体力劳动，还是你一周工作50、60甚至70小时，你的雇主可能不会多给你一毛钱。

In some cases, this rule makes it possible for workers earning a salary to actually be paid less than the minimum wage.  And it means that business owners who treat their employees fairly can be undercut by competitors who don’t.  That’s not right.  So we’re going to update those overtime rules to restore that basic principle that if you have to work more, you should be able to earn more.  And we’ll do it by consulting workers and businesses, and simplifying the system so it’s easier for everyone.

Americans have spent too long working more and getting less in return.  So wherever and whenever I can make sure that our economy rewards hard work and responsibility, that’s what I’m going to do.  Because what every American wants is a paycheck that lets them support their families, know a little economic security, and pass down some hope and optimism to their kids.  That’s something worth fighting for.  And I’ll keep fighting for it as long as I’m President.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

在某些情况下，这个法规可能使某些工人挣的月薪低于最低工资。这意味着公平对待员工的企业主们在与不公平对待员工的竞争者们相比要吃亏。这不靠谱。所以我们将完善这些加班法规以弘扬多劳多得的基本原则。我们就通过与工人们和企业协商实现这个目标，简化这个体系以惠及每个人。
美国人已经在工作上花费了太多时间但是收入却没有跟上。所以无论何时何地，我都保证我们的经济鼓励努力工作和承担责任，这就是我将做的。因为每个美国人希望的是他们的工资能够养家糊口，有一点过河钱，给孩子们希望和乐观。这些值得我们奋斗。只要我还是总统我就要为之奋斗。
谢谢，周末快乐。