Oversized 100% cotton t-shirt in a variety of faded colours. It calls on us to bring back Saint Monday – a historic working-class tradition of bunking off work every Monday. From at least the 17th century, workers in Britain and across Europe would skip work on Monday, joking that they were observing "Saint Monday", a non-existent religious holiday.
Instead of working, workers would take trips, sleep off hangovers, visit theatres and ale houses, generally have fun.
Eventually, in the 19th century, employers agreed to give workers Saturday afternoons off work, in return for them actually attending work on Mondays, and so this mass, unofficial, working-class direct action was instrumental in creating the modern weekend.
Now, as increasing numbers of workers are fighting for a four-day working week, we believe that an effective way to do so is to bring back Saint Monday, and just refuse to work five days any longer!
The design features a lithograph depicting drunken workers celebrating Saint Monday at a tavern in Vienna, by Joseph Lanzedelly the Elder in 1818, which we have enhanced.
• 100% carded cotton
• Fabric weight: 7.1 oz. /yd. ² (240 g/m²)
• Garment-dyed, pre-shrunk fabric
• Boxy, oversized fit
• Dropped shoulders
• Wide neck ribbing
• Tear-away label
• Printed individually just for you with no overproduction or waste
• Global shipping
If you would like this design on a different product please email us on shop@workingclasshistory.com.