Summary

Medal manufactured as a presentation piece by the Eight Hours Committee of the Victorian Pioneers Association. The numbers 888 in circles, representing 8 hours work, 8 hours recreation and 8 hours rest. It was never inscribed or presented. Its size suggests that it was designed to hang from a watch chain. Perhaps this was a trial piece in copper for a gold presentation piece.

In the summer of 1856 a building boom was underway, and labour was scarce. The tradesmen, mostly stonemasons and other skilled building workers, obtained government support for their cause and managed to negotiate an eight-hour working day. The eight-hour day survived economic downturn, employer opposition and union collapse. The principle for building workers to work an eight-hour day without a reduction in their pay soon became widespread, although it took more than half a century to be adopted throughout the workforce. The eight-hour day was widely celebrated as a world first and Australia became known as a 'workingman's paradise'. In spite of this success, only a minority of workers initially won the eight hour day. Chinese and Aboriginal workers, women and children generally worked much longer hours for less pay. By the 1880s, thousands of people turned out for the marches that commemorated the winning of the eight-hour day. Trades were represented with elaborate banners, floats and costumes.

Obverse Description

At centre a plaque which has not been engraved; PRESENTED / TO; above and below, VICTORIAN-PIONEERS / EIGHT HOURS / ASSOCIATION

Reverse Description

Three circles each containing an 8

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

In the 1840s British unions fought unsuccessfully for a ten-hour working day. A decade later, in the summer of 1856, an opportunity for a similar struggle presented itself to tradesmen in Melbourne. A building boom was underway, and labour was scarce. The tradesmen, mostly stonemasons and other skilled building workers, obtained government support for their cause and managed to negotiate an eight-hour working day. The eight-hour day survived economic downturn, employer opposition and union collapse. The principle for building workers to work an eight-hour day without a reduction in their pay soon became widespread, although it took more than half a century to be adopted throughout the workforce. The eight-hour day was widely celebrated as a world first and Australia became known as a 'workingman's paradise'.

In spite of this success, only a minority of workers initially won the eight hour day. Chinese and Aboriginal workers, women and children generally worked much longer hours for less pay.

By the 1880s, thousands of people turned out for the marches that commemorated the winning of the eight-hour day. Trades were represented with elaborate banners, floats and costumes, like the eight-hours armour made by the Tinsmiths Union to symbolise industrial strength and protection. -Reeves, Andrew. 1988. Another Day Another Dollar : Working Lives in Australian History; Museum Victoria web site http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/windows/8hrs/index.asp. -D. Tout-Smith 26/9/2003.

More Information