Australia’s 40-hour working week was the result of a long and determined campaign by unions and workers seeking a fairer balance between labour and life. The push for shorter hours began as early as the 1850s, when Melbourne stonemasons demanded the eight-hour day – summed up by the enduring motto: ‘eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.’ At the time, many workers toiled 10 hours or more per day, six days a week.

The key federal breakthrough came on 8 September 1947, when the Arbitration Court ruled to reduce the standard working week from 44 hours to 40, effective from 1 January 1948. The decision established a five-day working week. Employer groups warned of economic harm, but unions successfully argued that workers deserved time for family, rest and community life – pointing to the social and health benefits of shorter hours.

This audio clip, recorded by the ACTU, captures the conviction behind the case for change. It reflects how union leadership helped secure one of the most transformative social reforms of the post-war era and reminds audiences of the continuing importance of collective advocacy in defending workers’ rights.

The 40-hour week became a foundation for later improvements – including annual leave, paid sick leave and, by 1981, a further reduction to 38 hours in some industries. It remains a landmark in Australian industrial history – a symbol of the persistent struggle for dignity, fairness and time beyond the workplace.

Explore more Fighting for fair work: How Australia’s workers changed the rules