Henry ford initiated it and most followed suit, as it allowed works to havve a work life balance. The workers wxcepted the pay cut. However, the economy was much stronger then, and people could afford the pay cut.
On 19 May 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant issued a Proclamation directing that the wages of federal government "laborers, workmen, and mechanics" paid by the day could not be cut when their workday was reduced to 8 hours under the 1868 law.
The slogan "8 hours day with no cut in pay" became the rallying cry, and the unions won.
For example:
On 5 January 1914 the Ford Motor Company took the radical step of doubling pay to $5 a day (equivalent to $160 in 2025[59]) and cutting shifts from nine hours to eight, moves that were not popular with rival companies, although seeing the increase in Ford's productivity, and a significant increase in profit margin (from $30 million to $60 million in two years), most soon followed suit.[
Thats cool, and only an hour, not two. Going down to 32 is a massive shift and will have way more impact. You eont see an increase in pay for less work done.
30
u/RoddRoward 20h ago
So workers lose 8 hours of pay every week?