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I remember reading that Henry Ford introduced the 5 day work week at Ford as a way of growing the middle class such that more people could afford model Ts. Is

by jddj 2y ago

I remember reading that Henry Ford introduced the 5 day work week at Ford as a way of growing the middle class such that more people could afford model Ts. Is that just spin? I imagine there was some pressure from labour movements as well, but I suppose we don't know the true motivations one way or the other. He certainly represented it and the associated pay rise as an effort to grow his customer base.

sandworm101 2y ago
Working in ford's plants was hell. This was an observation that he either had to improve treatment or risk loosing workers.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
drewcoo 2y ago
Lotta retconning with Henry Ford. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-hundred-and-three-years-ago-today-henry-ford-introduced-assembly-line-his-workers-hated-it-180961267/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-hundred-and-th... > In 1913 alone, Ford had to hire more than 52,000 workers for a workforce that at any one time numbered 14,000, writes Swan. In an attempt to to stem the tide of turnover, he upped the company’s wage rate to an unheard-of $5 per eight-hour workday. The norm for that time was about $2.25 for a nine-hour workday
- jddj 2y ago
  Ha, sounds like it was indeed spin. Interesting what sticks, because I've read it twice recently, once even in a fairly left-leaning setting.
  - AnthonyMouse 2y ago
    It's spin from both sides though. Ford pays more and says "look what I have given you in my great benevolence." Unions say "look what we have negotiated for you through our great struggle." But really what happened is Ford needed to hire a lot of people so the price of labor went up through supply and demand.
    - robertlagrant 2y ago
      > what happened is Ford needed to hire a lot of people so the price of labor went up through supply and demand This is the best way to drive up salaries, as it's closely tied to demand. Just as Silicon Valley salaries and benefits - some of the best in the world, from non-institutionalised sources, anyway - were produced via competition, and not via strikes.
rqtwteye 2y ago
It’s spin. People hated assembly line work so he had to pay more money.
- robertlagrant 2y ago
  This sounds like capitalism.
simiones 2y ago
This makes no sense on the face of it. A company that pays its employees more so that they can afford its products?
- jddj 2y ago
  For a pay rise sure. A cut to a 5 day work week though could just mean more people employed overall at minimal extra expense. If you have a monopoly that is demand constrained that might make sense? If people buy your cars with credit it might make even more sense?

by jddj 2y ago

sandworm101 2y ago

Working in ford's plants was hell. This was an observation that he either had to improve treatment or risk loosing workers.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

drewcoo 2y ago

Lotta retconning with Henry Ford. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-hundred-and-three-years-ago-today-henry-ford-introduced-assembly-line-his-workers-hated-it-180961267/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-hundred-and-th... > In 1913 alone, Ford had to hire more than 52,000 workers for a workforce that at any one time numbered 14,000, writes Swan. In an attempt to to stem the tide of turnover, he upped the company’s wage rate to an unheard-of $5 per eight-hour workday. The norm for that time was about $2.25 for a nine-hour workday

jddj 2y ago
Ha, sounds like it was indeed spin. Interesting what sticks, because I've read it twice recently, once even in a fairly left-leaning setting.
- AnthonyMouse 2y ago
  It's spin from both sides though. Ford pays more and says "look what I have given you in my great benevolence." Unions say "look what we have negotiated for you through our great struggle." But really what happened is Ford needed to hire a lot of people so the price of labor went up through supply and demand.
  - robertlagrant 2y ago
    > what happened is Ford needed to hire a lot of people so the price of labor went up through supply and demand This is the best way to drive up salaries, as it's closely tied to demand. Just as Silicon Valley salaries and benefits - some of the best in the world, from non-institutionalised sources, anyway - were produced via competition, and not via strikes.

rqtwteye 2y ago

It’s spin. People hated assembly line work so he had to pay more money.

robertlagrant 2y ago
This sounds like capitalism.

simiones 2y ago

This makes no sense on the face of it. A company that pays its employees more so that they can afford its products?

jddj 2y ago
For a pay rise sure. A cut to a 5 day work week though could just mean more people employed overall at minimal extra expense. If you have a monopoly that is demand constrained that might make sense? If people buy your cars with credit it might make even more sense?