Rowan Cahill writes:
On 18 August 1855 the Stonemasons‚ Society in Sydney issued an ultimatum to employers that in six months time, masons would only work an eight-hour day. However men working on the Holy Trinity Church (Garrison Church) in Argyle Cut, and on the Mariners‚ Church (an evangelical mission to seafarers, now an art gallery and café) in Lower George Street (98-100 George Street), could not contain their enthusiasm and decided not to wait. They pre-emptively went on strike, won the eight-hour day, and celebrated with a victory dinner on 1 October 1855.
On the 21st April 1856 there was a march from a building site, at the Old Quadrangle Building which was the original building at Melbourne University.
The building still stands today. Workers marched from there to the city in celebration of the institution of the eight hour day on that worksite.
The intertwined numbers '888' soon adorned the pediment of many union buildings around Australia. Coming only 16 months after the Eureka Rebellion and 4 months after the Victorian Constitution became effective, the Eight Hour Day also became a symbol of the rights of workers to organise to achieve their rights not only as workers, but as citizens in a democratic society.
The Eight Hour March which began on April 21 1856 continued each year until 1951.
Australian workers continue to enjoy the Labour Day public holiday.
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