> Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour work week in 1914 because he saw — through research — that workers on five eight-hour shifts kept up the highest sustained l

> Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour work week in 1914 because he saw — through research — that workers on five eight-hour shifts kept up the highest sustained levels of productivity. Why does this ridiculous meme keep popping up? The 40 hour work week was a long and hard-fought battle, full of blood, tears and sweat. It was an uphill slog against the most powerful corporations in the world; lavour unions fighting tooth and nail for every minute of time away from work. It wasn't some flight of fancy by Henry Ford because it made his workers more productive, or so they had more time to buy stuff, or whatever other pieces of false history have been dreamt up.