Labour Day!

Working 10 or more hours in shifts, Having no break at all was such a pain to workers back in the day. October 28th 1890 was the day New Zealand decided to have a public holiday (labour day), It’s one of the day’s our people could take a day off from working. Amazingly Aotearoa was one of many countries to start an 8 hour working rate.

Every 4th Monday of October, Workers get to celebrate the right of working less than 12 hours. Way back in the days, Such as 1890 people didn’t have the option to work less or more than 12 hours and sadly some even worked for up to 18 hours. Samuel Parnell, A man who refused to work 8 hours or more as a carpenter in a shop he worked in.

Samuel Parnell. One of the most important people in New Zealand, most likely known to be a legend for being able to speak up and working only up to 8 hours in carpentry. Always explaining his rights in court, as to why he didn’t work for his normal 10 hour working day and it could and would affect his pay wage. Throughout his years of working, he did not care about a single thing of what a person had to say. He kept his ways and continued on to work his 8 hours.

It was fair enough, New Zealand had the right of claiming the right to have an 8 hour working day, but they decided to support Mr Parnell’s idea of working a full 8 hour day. Wellington judge decided for everyone in New Zealand and possibly other countries to have the right of being able to work 8 hours.

Now you know why Labour day is now here today, maybe consider a day to celebrate it yourself as it is a special day to remember. What does Labour day mean to you? Well you now know the reason so why not celebrate!