Henry Ford Dismissed 800 Workers for Missing Work on Orthodox Christmas in 1914

In 1914 Henry Ford dismissed some 800 workers who failed to report for work on 7 January, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ. At that time this amounted to roughly 8% of all his workforce.

Ford issued an order stating that if these men had chosen America as their home, they ought to observe American holidays, otherwise there was far too much confusion in schedules and plans when almost a thousand men stayed away from work on a single day.

Such was the lesson in religious tolerance and labour discipline from a titan of American business.

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Henry Ford Dismissed 800 Workers for Missing Work on Orthodox Christmas in 1914

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September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

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