KERA's Think Does anyone still work a 9-5?
Dec 4, 2025
Andrew Blackman, a freelance writer and journalist specializing in labor history, discusses the surprising origins and evolution of the 40-hour work week. He uncovers how the Great Depression catalyzed shifts in labor laws and explores the cultural glorification of long hours in America. With rising gig work and new trials for four-day weeks, he examines the changing landscape of work, the impact of AI, and the potential for improved well-being in our modern-day jobs. What does the future hold for our working hours?
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Long, Dangerous Work Before Reform
- Nineteenth-century wage workers commonly faced six-day weeks with 10–12 hour days in dangerous conditions.
- Those brutal hours spurred early movements demanding shorter working days for safety and dignity.
Dangerous Shift Practices In Steel Mills
- Steel mills ran 24 hours using two 12-hour shifts and sometimes a 24-hour
Eight-Hour Demand Tied To Postwar Reform
- Post–Civil War veterans and labor activists pressed for an eight-hour day as part of broader social progress.
- Ira Steward argued shorter hours would let workers educate themselves and demand better wages and conditions.