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Eight-Hour Workday

Definition

The eight-hour workday refers to the standard working hours of eight hours per day, established as a labor reform during the rise of industrial capitalism. It aimed to improve working conditions and provide workers with more time for leisure and personal activities.

Analogy

Imagine you have a giant pizza that represents your workday. In the past, you had to eat the whole pizza by yourself, which was exhausting. But now, with the eight-hour workday, you only have to eat one slice every hour. This allows you to enjoy other things in life too!

Related terms

Labor Union: An organization formed by workers to protect their rights and promote their interests.

Industrial Capitalism: An economic system characterized by private ownership of industries and factories that emerged during the Industrial Revolution.

Collective Bargaining: Negotiations between employers and employees (often through labor unions) to determine working conditions, wages, benefits, etc.