FARK.com: (7169735) 100 years ago today, the eight-hour workday became law

If you can read this, either the style sheet didn't load or you have an older browser that doesn't support style sheets. Try clearing your browser cache and refreshing the page.

		100 years ago today, the eight-hour workday became law (news.google.com)		106
		More: Cool

• • •

6533 clicks; posted to Main » on 19 Jun 2012 at 9:37 AM | Favorite | share:

Share this link:

URL:

http://fark.com/go/7169735

Bookmark:

Article Comments close

106 Comments (+0 »)

View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest

Archived thread

First | « | 1 | 2 | 3 | » | Last | Show all

xanadian		2012-06-19 09:18:37 AM

...in France?

Sure don't have any legally mandated 8-hour day here in America...

/used to work 12-16 hour days, no overtime pay, as an "engineer" on a construction project

Jon iz teh kewl		2012-06-19 09:39:33 AM

i read it as 8 years ago, the 100 hour workday became law

mithras_angel		2012-06-19 09:39:51 AM

And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

jopy666		2012-06-19 09:40:48 AM

I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Jubeebee		2012-06-19 09:41:39 AM

I wonder what that's like.

factoryconnection		2012-06-19 09:42:24 AM

It probably helped that it was determined that a five-day, 40-hour week was the most productive for laborers. Not just in productivity/hour, but actually overall productivity (with quality, and remember re-work is expensive) is at its best with a 40-hour week.

I've worked all sorts of setups... hourly grunt, military on deployment (always on), military in office (the opposite), regular industry management (lots of hours, lots of days, lots of stress) and government contracting (mostly 40-hour weeks). I'm glad that, at least, having most weekends off is the norm despite the litany of anecdotes-as-data that will follow.

Lawnchair		2012-06-19 09:42:49 AM

And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress

Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom		2012-06-19 09:43:38 AM

Now we need the 5 day, 6 hour week.

Jon iz teh kewl		2012-06-19 09:44:00 AM

BROOOOO

Sudo_Make_Me_A_Sandwich		2012-06-19 09:44:34 AM

xanadian: Sure don't have any legally mandated 8-hour day here in America...

If you read the article, it's for federal employees except those working on the Panama canal. And while the 40-hour week isn't universal in America, a huge percentage of the workforce gets overtime pay after 40 hours.

God Is My Co-Pirate		2012-06-19 09:45:26 AM

jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Quick! We must give your landlord a tax cut!

boogie_down		2012-06-19 09:45:49 AM

jayg22		2012-06-19 09:45:53 AM

Its nice the government exempted itself from following its own law.

/like always.

Philip J. Fry		2012-06-19 09:46:30 AM

Headline later today:

Mitt Romney refuses to answer question regarding his stance on the 8 hour work day. Insists American workers will be overtaken by future events.

theknuckler_33		2012-06-19 09:47:29 AM

I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

stevetherobot		2012-06-19 09:48:26 AM

randomjsa		2012-06-19 09:49:08 AM

I have a "when the work is done" hour work week.

This could be 60+ hours or it could be 10 hours.

Jon iz teh kewl		2012-06-19 09:50:14 AM

stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Cybernetic		2012-06-19 09:50:59 AM

Guelph35		2012-06-19 09:52:55 AM

dj_spanmaster		2012-06-19 09:54:55 AM

I'm moving to Sweden to enjoy their 26 hour work week.

Jeremysbrain		2012-06-19 09:55:44 AM

Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.

Because People in power are Stupid		2012-06-19 09:56:37 AM

Because having free time = socialism

mayIFark		2012-06-19 09:58:53 AM

great. now can we start using that law? Or when is it scheduled fo go in effect?

micah1701		2012-06-19 10:00:13 AM

mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]

willyfreddy		2012-06-19 10:00:24 AM

Jubeebee		2012-06-19 10:01:03 AM

Lawnchair: And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress

Can't have that and also have a consumer society. A highly educated and highly skilled worker can make enough money to cover the basics in 20-30 hours a week, provided companies pay part timers equivalent hourly wages as full timers.

But having two part timers instead of one full timer doing a single job means that the demand for those workers increases while the supply stays the same. This puts the power in the employer-employee relationship in the hands of the employee, which is unacceptable.

So instead it's become the norm to treat anyone who doesn't work 40-60 hours a week like a degenerate, and pay them accordingly. We then create a culture that equates purchases and possessions with luxury and happiness.

You need to make more money to buy better things, and we hope no one notices that all the distractions and coping mechanisms people buy wouldn't be necessary if they didn't spend half their waking lives doing something they hate. Much better to have our best and brightest churning their lives away so they can someday have the same car as their boss.

Wendy's Chili		2012-06-19 10:02:27 AM

micah1701: mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]

Really?

Lando Lincoln		2012-06-19 10:10:18 AM

Prevailing Wind		2012-06-19 10:10:32 AM

micah1701: mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]

I lol'ed

I keep waiting for republicans to just come out and end the gag. "We were seriously just shiatting you with all that american dream shiat. We're totally out to fark you brown guy."

texmeth		2012-06-19 10:12:15 AM

theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

hp6sa		2012-06-19 10:15:10 AM

Check out page 4... arguing about the evils of alcohol, and suggesting that laws be changed, blah blah.

/let's see how that turns out.

Jeremysbrain		2012-06-19 10:18:36 AM

Jubeebee: Lawnchair: And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress

Can't have that and also have a consumer society. A highly educated and highly skilled worker can make enough money to cover the basics in 20-30 hours a week, provided companies pay part timers equivalent hourly wages as full timers.

But having two part timers instead of one full timer doing a single job means that the demand for those workers increases while the supply stays the same. This puts the power in the employer-employee relationship in the hands of the employee, which is unacceptable.

No company is going to swap its full time work force for twice as many part timers, and not for the reasons you site. If you have 2 part timers doing the same job as one full timer you have doubled your training costs, increased the costs for accident insurance and unemployement insurance and your probably going to have to pay more to your health care company to cover them both.

Plus if this is for any type of customer service job you have now doubled the number of people the customer has to deal with or cut in half the amount of time the employee is available to service his customer.

But most of all where you had one person to take ownership and responsibilty of a task, you now have two, which doubles your chances that someone will drop the ball or a miscommunication will occur.

stevetherobot		2012-06-19 10:18:38 AM

Jeremysbrain: Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.

Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

What money? If he can't pay then rent, then he has a negative balance. Plus, he's working himself to death.

Because People in power are Stupid		2012-06-19 10:19:24 AM

micah1701: mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]

[citation given]

Carn		2012-06-19 10:20:54 AM

texmeth: theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

It's a question of motivation.

jso2897		2012-06-19 10:21:25 AM

Curse you, Lucky Ducky!

Private_Citizen		2012-06-19 10:23:15 AM

Salary. It's how the 40 hour work week became a footnote.

Jeremysbrain		2012-06-19 10:24:12 AM

stevetherobot: What money? If he can't pay then rent, then he has a negative balance. Plus, he's working himself to death.

I can't imagine what job he could possible have where he is working that much and still can't make rent on a one bedroom apartment in the bad side of town.

spacelord321		2012-06-19 10:27:29 AM

Jeremysbrain: Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.

When was last time YOU lived off your Wal-Mart pay? A full time job that doesn't require a college education does not pay the bills anymore. And not everyone can jump right into college. Some people had to work full time through high school just to help the family pay the bills. There never really is a chance for them to think about college, let alone pursue it. You couple that with family problems, and you have an embattled child who can not picture how to thrive. They learn only how to survive.

A society that requires higher learning for a comfortable living would most certainly use slave labor. We are building a classy world.

Jeremysbrain		2012-06-19 10:28:06 AM

Private_Citizen: Salary. It's how the 40 hour work week became a footnote.

I think many men are greatful for there long hours and salary compensation they have it gives them an excuss to not go home to the harpys they married.

Mose		2012-06-19 10:29:50 AM

Carn: texmeth: theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

It's a question of motivation.

Let me tell you something, you're a straight shooter with upper management written all over you.

EbolaNYC		2012-06-19 10:32:26 AM

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAHAH!!! EIGHT HOUR WORKWEEK IS LAW??? AHAHAHAHHAHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *gasp* *gasp*..*sob*

Smoking GNU		2012-06-19 10:32:40 AM

JOB KILLING REGULATIONS!!!!!!

spacelord321		2012-06-19 10:33:18 AM

stevetherobot		2012-06-19 10:34:59 AM

spacelord321: Jeremysbrain: Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.

When was last time YOU lived off your Wal-Mart pay? A full time job that doesn't require a college education does not pay the bills anymore. And not everyone can jump right into college. Some people had to work full time through high school just to help the family pay the bills. There never really is a chance for them to think about college, let alone pursue it. You couple that with family problems, and you have an embattled child who can not picture how to thrive. They learn only how to survive.

A society that requires higher learning for a comfortable living would most certainly use slave labor. We are building a classy world.

1990. Living was probably cheaper then.

Magnanimous_J		2012-06-19 10:35:08 AM

Jeremysbrain: stevetherobot: What money? If he can't pay then rent, then he has a negative balance. Plus, he's working himself to death.

I can't imagine what job he could possible have where he is working that much and still can't make rent on a one bedroom apartment in the bad side of town.

He either works an entry level salaried job, or a commissioned sales job. I worked almost a year at a sales/recruiting job that was 100% commission. It had a 1500/month draw that I rarely broke. Every time I would be at my wits end, the owners would put me back together again and promise that with just a few more extra hours, it would crack wide open and I would be swimming in money.

Never happened. I W2'd just over 18k in 11 months. I rented a room in a shiatty house that was being foreclosed on, and I think I was lucky to have that. If I didn't have a paid off car and low debt, I would have been sunk.

Snarfangel		2012-06-19 10:36:19 AM

I used to work 12 hours per day (7am-9pm, with an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner), but would alternate 3 and 4 days off per week (I'd work 3 12-hour days one week, and 4 12-hour days the next). It was hard work, but I loved my weekends. :)

/And I was awesomely productive.
//I'd immediately crash once I got home on work days, though.
///Way back when every ISP was a startup.

EbolaNYC		2012-06-19 10:38:54 AM

theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

It's not a +8 hour work day because people choose to stay at work all that time. It's a product of working for people who hate their personal lives, are defined by their jobs and dismiss the scientifically proven fact that working much longer hours doesn't make people more productive.

You're either one of those, or you work 8 hours and really don't know what it's like.

So seriously, just STFU.

/self-employed

Mr. Right		2012-06-19 10:39:00 AM

Jeremysbrain: Private_Citizen: Salary. It's how the 40 hour work week became a footnote.

I think many men are greatful for there long hours and salary compensation they have it gives them an excuss to not go home to the harpys they married.

Reminds me of a former co-worker. He had taken a job with a different company. A couple months later I ran into him at a professional organization meeting. Asked him how the new job was going. He allowed as how it was godawful. His co-workers were idiots, the owners of the company were nepotistic asshats and he was hired to be the "not-a-member-of-the-family fall guy;" the hours were brutal, even his office sucked because the AC didn't reach his office but there weren't any windows - even his office chair was a piece of crap that gave him a constant backache. I asked if he was looking for a new job. He responded that he was going to stay there because, for the first time in his married life, he actually looked forward to going home.

Displayed 50 of 106 comments