Australia used to lead the world on shorter work hours – we could do it again
- Written by John Buchanan, Professor in Working Life, Discipline of Business Information Systems, University of Sydney Business School, University of Sydney
In the 1850s, when Melbourne stonemasons won the eight-hour day, employers of the day prophesied economic ruin. These standardised hours then flowed into other industries.
Far from ruin, Australians went on to enjoy one of the highest living standards on the globe by the later 19th century, even after the deep depression of the 1890s.
Again, in the...
