Eight Hour Day Monument — Attraction in Melbourne

I remember working this and then the sad demise of working conditions. A CAMPAIGN FOR THE EIGHT-HOUR-DAY was led by the labor movement in the 1850s that brought about a revolution in worker’s rights. Skilled tradespeople who had immigrated to Australia for the gold rush had been influenced by the Chartist movement in Britain and the democratic crucible of the United States.

In the 1800s, most Victorians worked up to fourteen hours a day, six days a week. There was no sick leave, no holiday leave, and employers could fire employees at any time, without giving a reason. The eight-hour-day campaign was based on the ideal of an eight-hour working day with “eight hours labour, eight hours rest and eight hours recreation.”

The top of the obelisk is decorated by a bronze emblem featuring “888,” on top of which is an encircled globe supporting a crown and orb. Around the monument’s globe the inscription reads: “Labour, Recreation, Peace.” While the eight-hour day was an important achievement for the building workers, conditions for women and child labourers in particular remained unchanged and unreasonable for decades. The monument was unveiled in 1903 and 14 surviving pioneers of the eight-hour-day movement attended the ceremony. These pioneers had led the way, not only for the state of Victoria, but for the rest...

⭐✨ 🤩 👀 (No photo to attach, sadly, sorry, lol 😅🥲) Passed by the monument sometime in the past few years or so. Didn't take a photo of the monument or a selfie at the time, there was a tour group. However, on this labour day 2024 public holiday in Victoria, once again I give appreciation for the labour movement and the eight hour day and worker's rights and trade unionism and so on. And as someone who's been a member of trade unions depending on job or if changed jobs, for the last few years, hooray for working rights. 👍🏻🥳 On this Victoria public holiday in Victoria, Victorian. Hooray, a 5 star monument. (And anyways, I've always found the traditional spelling labour to be my cup of tea, rather than the modernised or political name labor, capital or no capital letter). That said, yes, I've voted Labor first, along with Palmer's past or present or Other parties past or present. Life is all about trial and error. Hooray for the right to 8 hours. And hooray to those stonemasons and similar folks and trade union folks, past or future or present day. Hooray for the peace and the eight hours of rest. Of rest. 😌 5 stars monument ⭐✨ 🤩 👀...

IMPORTANT PART OF AUSTRALIA'S LABOUR MOVEMENT HISTORY The eight hour day was a hard-won employment condition pursued by very early migrants attracted by Victoria's gold rush in the 1850s. At that time a 14 hour day, six days a week was the norm. The campaign was based on 3 key claims: Australia's climate (compared to Britain) was much harsher Workers needed time to access education Workers needed more time with family

The Builder's Union and stonemasons successfully prosecuted these claims to gain the right to a 48 hour week and Saturday afternoons off work. Conditions (for most workers) have improved substantially since that watershed campaign. The monument itself is a bit sad and isolated on a small patch of grass next to the Emily McPherson Building at RMIT and opposite the Trades...