On this day, 21 April 1856, stonemasons in Melbourne, Australia, went on strike demanding a maximum 8-hour working day – down from 10 hours per day Monday-Friday with 8 hours on Saturday.
They marched from their construction site, the Old Quadrangle building at Melbourne University, brandishing a banner demanding “8 hours work, 8 hours recreation, 8 hours rest” (pictured).
The workers were extremely well organised, and were soon successful in achieving their goal, with no loss of pay, for workers engaged in public works in the city. They celebrated on Monday 12 May, the Whit Monday holiday, with a parade of nearly 700 people from 19 trades.
To learn more about Australian working class history, check out our podcast episode about the Australian IWW: https://workingclasshistory.com/2019/01/28/e19-the-iww-in-australia/ https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1406281626223650/?type=3