Loading summary
Transcript8 lines
- [00:00]
Henry Ford
There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus at noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts. Or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts@intohristory.com it's the morning of June 4, 1896 in Detroit, Michigan. The sun's rising into a clear sky, promising yet another beautiful summer day. But 32 year old inventor Henry Ford isn't interested in the weather. He's been up since dawn preparing to test out his latest creation. Eleven years ago, German engineer Karl Benz built the world's first gasoline powered car. This invention caught Henry's imagination and he decided to see if he could build his own automobile. For the last six months, Henry spent every spare moment he has working on a motorized vehicle that he's calling the Quadricycle. Now it's finally ready for its first test drive. But a few moments ago, Henry discovered a problem. The doors of the shed he's built the machine in are too narrow. And the only way to get the Quadricycle out is to take a sledgehammer to the door frame. After one final swing, the door frame falls to the floor and Henry wipes his brow, exhausted. But then he gathers himself to push the Quadricycle out of the building. Then takes a moment to admire his creation in the sunlight. A wooden chassis supported on four large bicycle wheels. Strapped in the middle is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with an upholstered seat and a steering tiller perched on top. It's a simple looking machine, but to Henry, it's the most beautiful sight in the world. Now he has to see if it works. Henry fires up the engine, climbs into the seat, he puts the machine into gear, releases the brake, and to his great delight, the wheels begin to turn. Henry steers a Quadricycle out of his yard onto the quiet streets of Detroit and into the future. Ultimately, the Quadricycle will only travel a few blocks before its engine sputters and dies. This first journey of a Ford built car ends with Henry Ford pushing it back to his workshop. But Henry quickly fixes it and he will work tirelessly to improve his design, putting in long hours and rarely taking a break. This work ethic will help him become one of the most famous businessmen in the world, but he won't expect everyone to follow his lead. In fact, the lives of American workers will be transformed forever after he introduces a pioneering five day workweek at the Ford Motor Company on May 1, 1926. History Daily is sponsored by Strangers in Time, the new epic novel from number one New York Times best selling author David Baldacci. In 1944 London three complete strangers must work together to survive World War II. But will they be able to escape their own dark secrets? Kate Quinn calls Strangers in Oliver Twist Meets the Blitz a beautiful read, and Lisa Scottellini says it's a masterpiece of a historical thriller. Strangers in Time is available in bookstores now. History Daily is sponsored by Express Pros. Managing your workforce can be exhausting, and if you're tired of a costly and lengthy hiring process, simplify and speed up your recruitment. With one connection, the experts at Express Employment Professionals reduce time to hire, cut down on interviews and lower your recruitment costs. Visit ExpressPros.com today Express is more efficient than hiring on your own. Check out ExpressPros.com to see how Express Employment professionals can take care of your hiring. From Noiser and Airship I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History Daily. History is made every day on this podcast. Every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is May 1, 1926 Henry Ford's Five Day Week. It's September 27, 1908, at the Ford Motor Company plant in Detroit, Michigan, 12 years after the quadricycle's first test drive. Henry Ford, now 45 years old, runs his fingers along the door of a car that's just been finished by his workers. He checks for any blemishes, and he opens and closes the door a few times to check that the mechanism works as expected. Then he cranks the engine and its four cylinders fire up. For the first time, Ford is paying special attention to every detail. Because this is no ordinary Ford car, it's the first of its kind what he's calling the Model T. After building his homemade quadricycle, Henry founded a company with fellow inventor Thomas Edison. But five years ago, Henry went it alone and set up the Ford Motor Company. Since then, Henry has produced a series of vehicles that he's sold to the small but growing number of motorists in America. But the Model T feels different. Henry's put everything he's learned over the last few years into its design, hoping that this is the car that will put his company on the map. After this first Model T passes Henry's stringent quality checks, his workers get started on the next one. But because it takes a team of Ford employees 13 hours to produce a single car, the second Model T won't be ready until tomorrow. That's not fast enough for Henry. He knows that if the Ford Motor Company is going to succeed, he has to find ways to increase production and efficiency. So while his workers hammer, screw and rivet cars together one by one, Henry spends every moment he can researching the latest technological developments and learning everything he can about industrial production. So that over the next five years, Henry constantly tweaks Ford's production processes. He introduces machinery that's designed and built specifically for the Ford plant. And in 1913, he implements an idea that he first saw at a Chicago meatpacking plant. The moving assembly line. Previously, teams assembled a car from start to finish, but now individual workers are required to get just one job done before. Before the cars move down the line to the next worker and a new car takes its place. This new technique slashes production time on a Model T to less than two hours. And it improves quality, too. Since every worker on the line only needs to learn and repeat a single task, it even reduces costs. All of these improvements help make the Model T America's best selling vehicle. But Henry doesn't stop looking for ways that he and his company can find an edge. He sees that across the country, unions are becoming more powerful, demanding better pay and working conditions for employees. And in other industries, strikes have become common that cripple businesses. Henry has no love for unions and has no intention of letting that happen to Ford. But building cars is labor intensive and dangerous. The powerful machinery used means that injuries aren't uncommon at the Ford plant. And unless Henry makes changes, he knows it won't be long before his workers revolt. So Henry takes an unprecedented step. In 1914, he cuts the length of a shift at the ford plant from nine hours to eight, and he doubles the pay to $5 a day. But Henry is not acting purely out of the goodness of his heart. He is instead convinced that these changes will make his plant even more efficient. In the past, conditions were so poor that for every hundred jobs at his company, he had to hire 300 men a year. This cost Henry a fortune in recruitment and training. But if his workers are happy and well rested, they'll stay longer. And the longer they stay, the more experienced and productive they'll become. Many of Henry's competitors are skeptical about the changes, though. But Henry doesn't have to wait long for proof that his new system works. The day after the new shifts and wages are announced, 10,000 men express an interest in working for ford. And in 1914, the company produces more Model Ts than ever before. But shorter shifts and More money does not change the fact that the Ford factory is still dangerous. And thanks to the assembly line, working there is now monotonous too. To Henry's dismay, union leaders will still agitate for improvements to working conditions. So Henry Ford will continue to look for improvements in how his employees work, and his next move will change working practices across across the entire country.
- [08:47]
Lindsey Graham
With the Spark Cash plus card from Capital One, you earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase and you get big purchasing power so your business can spend more and earn more. Steven, Brandon and Bruno, the business owners of Sandcloud, reinvested their 2% cash back to help build their retail presence. Now that's serious business. What could the SparkCashPlus card from Capital One do for your business? Capital One what's in your wallet? Find out more@capitalone.com SparkCashPlus terms apply history.
- [09:21]
Henry Ford
Daily is sponsored by Indeed. Are you a business owner? I am. I run a podcast production company. And what's my number one expense? My people. But what's my number one competitive advantage? My people. And that makes any new hire my number one most critical business decision. It probably is for you too. So remember this when it comes to Hiring Indeed is all you need. Stop struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites. Indeed Sponsored Jobs help you stand out and hire fast. With sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. And you get all of this with no monthly subscriptions or long term contracts. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed History Daily, listeners can get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility@indee indeed.com on this day. Just go to indeed.com on this day right now to support the show and get hiring Indeed.com OnThisDay terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. It's December 1918 in Detroit, Michigan, ten years after production began on the Ford Model T A. Now 55 year old Henry Ford sits at his desk at home, gripping his pen tightly as he signs his name at the bottom of a letter of resignation. Once the ink is dry, he folds the paper and slides it into an envelope. It's done and he's out. Over the past four years, the Ford Motor Company has produced more than 2 million vehicles and it now has $60 million sitting in its accounts, the equivalent of more than 6 billion today. Henry wanted to reinvest this surplus in the company and its workers. He sought to drive down the cost of the Model T even further while boosting the wages of workers. But Ford's shareholders saw it differently. They demanded that the money be distributed to them as dividends. And a few weeks ago, they took Henry to court to get their way. Now Henry has decided that he's had enough and he's quitting the company he founded. When news of Henry's resignation reaches the newspapers, it causes a sensation. Most people think that the Ford Motor Company's fortunes will decline without its genius founder at the helm. But the shareholders still don't back down. Instead, they take their case all the way to the Supreme Court, which decides in their favor. They get the payout they've been after. But the shareholders don't enjoy their victory for long. Henry sets up a new motor company and poaches the best employees from Ford. Only then do the shareholders realize that Henry isn't bluffing. He's not going to change his mind and return to Ford as long as they're still there. So with the prospect of Ford's stock price tumbling without Henry designing its cars, the shareholders agree to sell their stake in the company back to Henry and his son. Soon, Henry resumes his position as president of the Ford Motor Company. And now that the troublesome shareholders have gone, Henry can run his business how he sees fit. Over the next few years, Ford continues to increase production of the model T. By 1922, more than a million cars a year are rolling out of the plant in Michigan. But elsewhere in America, unions are still pushing for change in the workplace. Labor leaders campaign for better pay, greater job security and safer conditions. Some industries are hit by long strikes and a few protests even descend into violent battles with picket crossing strikebreakers or law enforcement. But just as he did earlier in his career, Henry attempts to cut off the threat of organized labor at Ford. This time, he's inspired by a visit to the United Kingdom, where many manufacturers have begun giving their employees an extra day off every week. Instead of just having Sundays off, British workers get Saturday as well. So when Henry returns to Detroit, he investigates the five day week in more detail. To his surprise, he discovers that studies in Britain have shown that adding an additional day off causes only a minor reduction in overall production levels. It seems that the extra time off leads to better quality work with fewer errors and fewer accidents. But Ford employs more than 120,000 workers. Each works an eight hour shift six days a week, keeping assembly lines moving around the clock. So switching over to a five day working week isn't a simple process. Henry has to embark on a series of trials to fully understand how the change could be implemented with a minimum of disruption. But during one of these tests, news leaks that some Ford workers are being asked to work a day less, and most people react with disbelief. Some workers at the plant fear that Henry is using it as an excuse to drive down labor costs. Press reports mock the idea, claiming that reducing the working week will only end up killing the Ford Motor Company. And other business owners and industrialists accuse Henry of caving into the unions when they should be standing strong and presenting a united front against them. But Henry ignores the downers. Instead, after more than four years of patient research and trials, you will bite the bullet and announce that the Ford factory will move to a new five day working week in May 1926. Employees, business leaders and politicians across across the country. We'll be watching carefully because the future of work in America will depend on whether this change powers the Ford Motor Company to new success or puts all its progress in reverse.
- [14:45]
Narrator
Craving your next action packed adventure, Audible delivers thrills of every kind on your command. Like Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, where a lone astronaut must save humanity from extinction. Narrated with stunning intensity by Ray Porter from electrifying suspense and daring quests to spine tingling horror and romance in far off realms, unleash your adventure aside with gripping titles that'll keep you guessing. Discover exclusive Audible originals, hotly anticipated new releases and must listen bestsellers that hook you from the first minute. Because Audible knows there's no greater thrill than the one that speaks to to you. Discover what lies beyond the edge of your seat. Start your free 30 day trial at audible.com wonderyus that's audible.com wonderyus so I.
- [15:35]
Advertiser
Just used NerdWallet's card finder tool to find a better card for me and listeners. This is genius. All you have to do is answer a few questions and in minutes you'll get matched with recommendations tailored to you. I'm discovering cards I didn't even know existed and the matching was on point. The best part. No research needed. The nerds already did that for us. So if you, like me, want to easily find the right card for you, go to nerdwallet.com to get matched today. Terms and conditions apply. Credit products subject to lender approval. See nerdwallet.com for details.
- [16:17]
Lindsey Graham
Foreign.
- [16:21]
Henry Ford
1926 International Workers Day at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. Four years after Henry Ford first started investigating the Five Day Working Week, Henry, now 62 years old, opens his office window and listens he can hear a bird chirping and just about hear the distant traffic on Detroit's roads. But that's about all. There's no machinery worrying and no movement in the yard below. Because today is a Saturday, the first since The Ford Motor Company moved to its new five day week. And today every one of the company's 140,000 employees can relax with family while friends and neighbors employed by other companies head out for their usual workday. Some Ford staff are unhappy they've lost a day's pay and that their working week is now 40 hours instead of 48. But most seem happy with the trade off, getting an extra day's rest soon. Henry Ford is also pleased by the results of the new five day work week. In the months that follow, production levels and profits both take a hit. But the decline is relatively small. The number of Model Ts rolling off the factory floor drops from 1.9 million to 1.6 million and profits fall just over 5%. But the Ford Motor Company benefits in other ways. There are fewer accidents and and worker retention increases. So over the next few years, unions across America will point to Ford's continuing success to argue that all workers should enjoy a five day work week. And more and more business owners will come around to Henry's way of thinking, recognizing the benefits of a rested, happy workforce. Eventually, even the politicians will agree and decide to enshrine Henry's pioneering experiment into law as well. The Fair Labor Standards act of 1938 will set America's first minimum wage, make overtime Pay mandatory after 44 hours of work, and limit the use of child labor. Two years later, an amendment to this law will further reduce the overtime limit to 40 hours a week, the same standard working week that Henry Ford introduced more than a decade earlier on May 1, 1926. Next on History Daily May 2, 2011. Almost 10 years after the 911 terror attacks, Osama bin Laden is killed by US Navy SEALs from Noiser and Airship this is History Daily Posted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham Audio editing by Mohammed Shahzi Sound design by Gabriel Gould Supervising sound designer is Matthew Filler Music by Thrum this episode is written and researched by Rob Cromwell Edited by Scott Reeds Managing producer Emily Burke Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.
- [19:15]
Advertiser
At Hotels.com, we know some travelers crave an ocean breeze. Others don't want to deal with sand. And oftentimes those two people end up together. Compare properties side by side to find yourself poolside, oceanside and still in a relationship. Find your perfect somewhere with hotels dot com.