The Five-Day Week and the Six-Hour Day

Archive Report

Recent Progress of Five-Day Week Movement

Ten Years Ago the country was astounded by the demands of the United Mine Workers of America for a five-day week and a six-hour day in the bituminous coal fields upon the expiration of existing contracts with union operators, March 31, 1922. The wage convention at which these demands were formulated was dominated by the radicals of the miners' organization.1 It authorized a strike to enforce its demands, although warned by conservative leaders of the union that such a course would be suicide.

In the negotiations for settlement of the four and a half months' strike that ensued the demands for shorter hours and a five-day week were not pressed. The union was able to do no better than retain ...

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