In 1856, in a world first, Melbourne’s stonemasons fought for and won the right to an eight-hour working day. What the Eight-Hour Day movement actually achieved was not an eight-hour day, but a 48-hour working week spread over five and a half days. The usual working week, at that time, was six full days. So the stonemasons’ real prize was Saturday afternoons off.
By the 1880s, most trades had followed the lead of the stonemasons and were enjoying a Saturday half-holiday. Sports and cultural activities flourished. In fact, workers’ need for leisure time was one of the main arguments for a shorter working week.
But one class of Victorian workers – the shop assistants – continued to work six full days of 12 hours or more. Saturdays were the longest, with many shops closing as late as midnight. While there were customers, the shops stayed open. And there were always customers. Then as now, leisure time was shopping time.
Shop assistants tried to educate the public against late shopping, appealing for solidarity from workers who had already won shorter working hours. But after 30 years of fruitless campaigning, it was clear that ‘early closing’ could be achieved only through government regulation. Thus in 1886 Victoria legislated shop-trading hours – another world first.
Illustration
Davies & Co. (photographers), Tailor’s shop on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, c1866
