Originally known as Eight Hour Day, this celebrates the achievement in 1856 of a reduction in working hours to eight hours per day (six days per week) for certain sections of the building trades.
The proposal was initiated by the Collingwood branch of the Operative Masons Society at a meeting held at Mac’s Hotel in Smith Street Collingwood on 4 February 1856. A harmonious agreement was achieved with employers and 21 April 1856 was set as the starting date, with the principle: Eight Hours Labour, Eight Hours Recreation, Eight Hours Rest.
One of the men at the meeting was stonemason Simon Corben, uncle of stonemason Hubert Corben whose business was in Smith Street Clifton Hill for many decades. Another Collingwood Notable and proponent of the eight-hour day was stonemason Charles Jardine Don, a pioneer labour parliamentarian who brought his Chartist ideals to Melbourne from his native Scotland.
A march was held in May 1856 with a very simple banner, while Eight Hour Day went on to be celebrated with a large annual procession where the highly decorated banners of various unions were proudly displayed. A number of these, such as one for the Victorian Operative Bootmakers Union (see link below), were created by Collingwood decorator Ulysses Rizzi.
http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4193757
