Some spat-upon NYC bus drivers take months off 部分被吐口水的紐約市公車司機請假數個月

 ◎張沛元
New York City bus drivers took an average of two paid months off last year after being spat upon by upset riders.
在被不爽的乘客吐口水後，紐約市公車司機去年平均休兩個月的支薪假。
The indignity is considered an assault under the drivers’ union contract. That entitles them to take a paid break.
根據公車司機的工會合約，吐口水的侮辱之舉被視為攻擊，使得公 車司機有權利請支薪假。
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said that 83 drivers were spat on last year. Of those, 51 took an average of 64 paid days off. One driver took 191 days of paid leave.
大都會運輸局表示，去年有83名 司機被吐口水，其中51人平均請了64天的支薪假，有一名司機請了191天的支薪假。
The drivers made up one-third of the number of transit workers who took time off due to assaults.
這些請支薪假司機佔所有因為遭到攻擊而請假的運輸勞工人數的3分之1。
The drivers’ union says the encounters cause psychological trauma, because workers they may contract a disease or be assaulted again.
司機工會表示，這種被吐口水的遭 遇會造成心理創傷，因為工作人員可能會感染疾病或再度遇襲。
新聞辭典
spit： 動詞，吐（口水）。慣用語，spit upon/on someone or something：朝某人吐口水，唾棄某事。例句：I always have a fear of accidentally spitting on someone in the first row while I am making a speech.（我一直很害怕在發表演說時會不小心把口水噴到坐在第一排的聽眾。）

break： 名詞，暫停，休息；例如，spring break，春假。慣用語：give someone a break，不再批評或以令人不悅的方式對待某人。例句：Give him a break - he’s only a child.（你就饒了他吧──他不過是個孩子。）

entitle someone to do something：讓某人有資格去做某事。例句：Every citizen is entitled to equal protection under the law.（所有國民都有資格獲得相同的法律保障。）