# Nine-Hour Movement

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The **Nine-Hour Movement** started in [Canada](/source/Canada) in 1872, based out of [Hamilton, Ontario](/source/Hamilton,_Ontario).[1] This marked Canada's first national attempt at a [labour movement](/source/Labour_movement), pushing for the nine-hour work day which united both unionized and non-unionized workers alike. The movement came to its height in May 1872 when a collective force of 1,500 workers demonstrated in Hamilton in a parade-style fashion, which is coined as being the precursor to the traditional holiday of Canada's [Labour Day](/source/Labour_Day). The movement was an overall failure, as it failed to deliver the nine-hour work day to most workforces and industries, but made a major mark in [labour relations](/source/Labour_relations) in Canada.

Despite its defeat, the movement created a unified protest and fueled workers to fight to secure rights through legal measures of [labour law](/source/Labour_law). The movement indicated that labour had a public presence and that its interests, institutions, and political stances reflected its unique social position and economic needs. A major victory was gained when Sir [John A. Macdonald](/source/John_A._Macdonald) passed the [Trade Unions Act](/source/Trade_Unions_Act,_1872) on June 14, 1872, which gave workers the right to associate in [trade unions](/source/Trade_unions). In addition, other minor victories were achieved in repealing repressive labour legislation and the passage of laws that strengthened the workers' hand against employers.

The Nine-Hour Movement is also a major factor that propelled the development of the [Canadian Labour Union](/source/Canadian_Labour_Union).[2] Three prominent reasons for the failure of the Nine-Hour Movement were employer hostility and resistance, the waning [prosperity](/source/Prosperity) of various industries, and significant divisions in the [labour force](/source/Labour_force) (ex. race/gender differences).

## References

1. Freeman, B. Hamilton: A People's History (2001). James Lorimer & Co. Publishing, Toronto

1. Palmer, B., ["Nine-Hour Movement"](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nine-hour-movement). *The Canadian Encyclopedia*

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nine-Hour Movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-Hour_Movement) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine-Hour_Movement?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.