News

Eight Hour Day float in Moomba parade
Thursday 16^th March

As part of the year long celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the Eight Hour Day, Melbourne's annual Moomba parade, held on Labour Day each year, featured an entry from the Celebrate 888 team.

Aboard the float, designed and built by the Moomba team, were people in period costume. Two stonemasons built the eight hour day wall, and two women were engaged in needlework and crochet. They were accompanied by a musical trio, playing along to the funky sounds of Melbourne musical collective The Drowsy Drivers.

Work, Rest and Play were depicted by thirty people performing behind the float. The ensemble included a farmer and his dog, a footy player, bushwalkers, a plumber, a cleaner, an artist, a cricketer, a netballer, a fisherman, a girl on a scooter, a tourist, an academic, a bellydancer, a rigger, an office worker chained to his computer, and a family in their pyjamas.

The vocal track  could be heard, booming from the float. "I want to blow your collective mind!"

I can't say for sure if we did blow anyone's mind, but the 888 float received a very warm response from the estimated crowd of 100,000.

Celebrate 888 thanks everyone who gave up their time to participate in Moomba. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as I did.

Leanne Shingles
Project Coordinator
8 Hour Day 150^th Anniversary Project
9659 3583 / 0403 901 980
lshingles@vthc.org.au

Eight Hour Day Exhibition opens in Ballarat
Monday 27^th February

Ballarat East MP Geoff Howard officially opens It's About Time!

Ballarat East MP Geoff Howard today opened an exhibition in Ballarat marking the 150^th anniversary of the gaining of the Eight Hour Day.

"The Eight Hour Day is one of the labour movement's finest achievements, a world first achieved here in Victoria. 150 years on, the issues of balancing work, rest and play are just as relevant." Geoff Howard said.

"Securing the Eight Hour Day became a symbol of the rights of workers to organise to achieve their rights not only as workers, but also as citizens in a democratic society." Mr Howard said.

Ballarat Trades and Labour Council Secretary Graeme Shearer said. "It's an ideal time to celebrate this achievement, at the very time workers' rights are under attack by the Howard government."

Local musician Danny Spooner entertained visitors with songs about the eight hour day.

The travelling exhibition, It's About Time! 8 Hour Day 1856 - 2006, will tour nine regional centres in 2006, including Ballarat.

"It's About Time! is an exploration of work that examines the 8 Hour Day movement and compares it to the contemporary world of work," said Geoff Howard.

Visitors to the exhibition

The exhibition features a digital display of footage from a 1918 Eight Hour Day procession and short films produced by workers of today.

Also included in the exhibition is a workers storyboard, which will be added to Museum Victoria's collection at the conclusion of the tour, in order for it to be retained for Victorians.

Geoff Howard said "I encourage all Ballarat residents to take the opportunity to join the 150^th celebrations and get along to the exhibition."

It's About Time! will be exhibited at Ballarat Trades Hall, 26 Camp Street, Ballarat from 27^th February to 13^th March. Opening times are 10.00 am to 4.00 pm Monday to Friday and entry is free.

Download some background information on the exhibition: Word Doc, 69kb