There have been no reductions in the average U.S. work week in the more
than sixty years since the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed.
Indeed, working hours have been held steady only by the rapid growth of
part-time, low-paid work - the proportion of workers putting in more than
48 hours a week on the job has been steadily increasing since 1948.
The long hours we are putting in on the job have serious consequences for
our health, for our fellow workers forced onto unemployment lines, and for
our ability to lead the rich, fulfilling lives that should be ours by
right. Our lives should not be dominated by drudgery and toil, slaving away
for endless hours to make our masters rich. Sixty years of stagnation is
long enough - it's time to resume the fight for shorter hours.
If you would like to get involved in this campaign, contact one of the IWW
branches from our directory page.
The Campaign for a Shorter Work Week
The campaign for a shorter work week is as old as the labor movement
itself, however in recent years it has been all but forgotten. This web
site (will soon) feature articles about both historical and contemporary
campaigns in favor of a shorter work week.
Contemporary
Less Time for Work, More Time for Life! - featured in the June 2002
Industrial Worker.
Arguments and Statements in Favor of a Shorter Work Week
This section is provided for those of you seeking additional information.
The resources cited are not necessarily written by members of the IWW nor
do they necessarily represent the views of the Industrial Workers of the
World or any of its members
Arguments for a Four-Hour Day - By Jon Bekken, published by the Boston
General Membership Branch of the IWW, � July 2000.
Kellogg's Six-Hour Day - By Benjamin Kline Hunnicutt, published by Temple
University Press, Phildelphia, � 1996
What Ever Happened to the Eight Hour Day? - By Arthur J Miller.
Time Out! - The Case for a Shorter Work Week - By Kim Moody & Mary McGinn,
published by Labor Notes, � 1995.
The Overworked American - By Juliet B. Schor, published by Basic Books, �
1992.
Longer Hours, Fewer Jobs - Employment and Unemployment in the United States
- By Michael D Yates, published by Monthley Review Press, New York, � 1994.
Articles About Shorter Work Time
This section is small at present, but it is our intention to collect as
many articles about shorter work time as possible.
Articles about Shorter Worktime from Mainstream News Sources.
http://www.iww.org/4-Hours/
