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Why do we work 8 hours a day?
The United States Adamson Act in 1916 established an eight-hour day, with additional pay for overtime, for railroad workers. This was the first federal law that regulated the hours of workers in private companies. The United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Act in Wilson v. New, 243 U.S. 332 (1917).
The eight-hour day might have been realized for many working people in the US in 1937, when what became the Fair Labor Standards Act was first proposed under the New Deal. As enacted, the act applied to industries whose combined employment represented about twenty percent of the US labour force. In those industries, it set the maximum workweek at 40 hours, but provided that employees working beyond 40 hours a week would receive additional overtime bonus salaries.
8 hrs work, 8 hrs recreation, 8 hrs sleep – Australia
1) Why 40 hrs/week other than that it’s law? We’ve been trained? It’s what capitalism requires?
2) What are your options? Four 10 hr days = 40 hrs week. Be your own boss, set your own hrs? It depends. Can you cut your hours and still serve your customers?
3) Do the math and see at 35 hrs week, could you pay your bills?
If not, look at adjusting your bills. Less house, car, credit card, entertainment.
4) What’s important? If you don’t have kids, do the math and ask those who have kids what they’re really spending. Don’t forget to ask how much $ help they’re getting from family.
Debt Shepherd 2017, All Rights Reserved
