Unions & Slaves won our freedoms, NOT warfare and armies:
The existing regime of 8 hours each for work, rest and play – not that it actually works out that way for most people – was a hard fought and won combined effort, between the abolition of slavery and the union movements (thanks guys).
European workers had tried to collectively bargain many centuries before, but the collective organisation and bargaining of labour was outlawed by Britain in the 14th century. Subsequent attempts in Britain Canada Australia and elsewhere were then successful in the early to mid 1800s.