The trade unions in England and America have long demanded the passage of laws limiting the hours of labor in a single day to eight. This proposal was first made as early as 1833 and has since been vigorously supported. In England the agitation has failed to accomplish any important results, but in the United States all government work is carried on on this basis, and eight-hour days are in force to a greater or less extent in at least a dozen states. On the continent of Europe the eight-hour day has been one of the ideals of the socialists, but, except in Germany, the movement has made little headway. In Australia, however, for many years, laws limiting the day's work to eight hours have been in force. See LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.