Big Business World

Newspaper for American Studies chapter 19 (1865-1900)

Point of View

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Editorial: Why the 8 hour workday is bad (Plaz)

We must stand strong and preserve the 12 hour work day. The 8 hour workday is a desperate attempt by workers to undermine the pillars of American capitalism and the American economy.

Radical workers want us to increase costs by hiring 3, not 2 shifts of laborers. This is preposterous! These workers also commonly demand wage increases so they may buy more goods for their families; however 8 hour days would cut their wages by a third. In addition our increased costs would have to be passed on to consumers, raising their prices and reducing their purchasing power.

In addition, we would have to hire a new shift of workers - increasing the competition for workers. We would be forced to employ blacks and immigrants to full our shortages, thus further decreasing wages already reduced by shorter hours and higher prices.

Thus it is our duty to save workers from themselves and oppose the 8 hour workday. We must inform the workers and their unions that the 8 hour day will only destroy the systems we built so hard to build and will leave thousands of workers out in the cold.