The campaign for a shorter working week

1979 saw a surge of discussion and activity around the demand for shorter hours of work. This has been displayed in changes of policy at the 1979 ACTU Congress, the metal unions’ decision to campaign for shorter hours and the response to these unions’ call to work only 35 hours during the week of Congress, the Queensland power workers’ strikes, the dramatic seven-week strike and plant occupation for shorter hours at Union Carbide, Altona, and other indications. A p u n c h in g