History Made Every Day™

The Eight-Hour Work Day

Demands for an eight-hour working day became increasingly widespread among American laborers in the 1880s. In 1866, the National Labor Union failed to convince Congress to legalize the eight-hour working day. In 1869, the Knights of Labor were created and rallied for the eight-hour work day, abolition of child and convict labor, equal pay for equal work, and elimination of private banks. Although at its height membership reached 702,000 members, support for the Knights eventually diminished and the eight-hour work day was never institutionalized.

On May 4, 1886, an outbreak of violence occured in Chicago. A demonstration, largely staged by a small group of anarchists, caused a crowd of some 1,500 people to gather at Haymarket Square. When policemen attempted to disperse the meeting, a bomb exploded and rioting ensued. Seven policemen and four other persons were killed, and more than 100 persons were wounded at what came to be known as the Haymarket Square Riot. Public indignation rose rapidly, and punishment was demanded. Eight anarchist leaders were tried, but no evidence was produced that they had made or thrown the bomb. They were, however, convicted of inciting violence. Four were hanged, one committed suicide, and the remaining three-after having served in prison for seven years-were pardoned (1893) by John P. Altgeld, governor of Illinois, on the ground that the trial had been unjust.

It wasn't until 1938 when Congress proposed the Fair Labor Standards Act, establishing a minimum wage, initially $0.25 an hour, along with a maximum workweek of 44 hours; these were to become $0.40 an hour and 40 hours after seven years.

The Fair Labor Standards Act has been amended repeatedly in subsequent decades, with changes expanding the classes of workers covered; raising the minimum wage; redefining regular-time work and raising overtime payments so as to encourage the hiring of new workers, as opposed to the loading of extra work on the lowest-paid; and equalizing pay scales for men and women.

The Work Hours Act of 1962 provided time-and-a-half pay for work over an 8-hour day or a 40-hour week.