Equal+Wages+-+Peter+T

Wage Case

Jebb (2006) tells of the struggle in the Kimberley between the White Bosses and the Aboriginal Pastoral Workers and spells out in no uncertain manner how badly they were treated. (p. 100). Kelly (1985) in her book ‘The Long Road Back’ suggests in more detail that: “…the attitude of White settlers towards Aborigines resulted in beatings, killings, rape and general exploitation …….” (p. 115). This may not have happened on every station, however the fact was not only were aboriginal workers not been paid decent wages but also their working conditions were deplorable. In 1946, Eight hundred Aboriginal workers went on strike in the Pilbara, walking off the job for better pay and conditions. This would precipitate change throughout the Industry over the next 20 years. Dorothy Hewat described the WA event in her poem ‘Clancy Dooley and Don McLeod’. McLeod suggested that the Kimberley aboriginals were supposed to join in on this strike. They never did. (The Pilbara Strike, 1946) This strike predated the famous [|Wave Hill strike] in the Northern Territory. Thalia (2006) writes about the Wave Hill episode: “… the Gurindji people were aware that their future not only hinged on wages and the needs of managers. The Aboriginal communities required a continuous association with the land”. (p. 2). This demand for land was wide spread and is portrayed in the lyrics podcasted in //‘//From Little Things Big Things Grow’ by Paul Kelly. The Kimberley had no Don McLeod and so it took another few years before real change occurred.  Haebich (1992) writes: “Aborigines were now expressing their opposition to the increase restrictions on their personal liberties.” (p. 125). They were starting to realise their worth to the pastoralists. It was Coombs (1994) who referred to the equal pay dispute as significant because it was the demands of Aborigines for equal pay and the intervention of the Arbitration Court in 1966 that made equal pay effective. (p. 18). However, there were other factors besides the wage issue that may have caused the change as Thalia (2006) points out: “The Equal Wages Decision was just one factor in a range of transformations. These included changing work practices, such as the introduction of aerial and motorised mustering, a change in government policy …, conditions of severe drought and the 1970s world-wide recession that deflated beef prices”. (Para.10)

An ABC podcast hosted by Bill Bunbury (2002) also allows the Kimberly stories to be told and the Photo Album by Lovell brings these stories alive and are worth veiwing. After the 1966 wage case large numbers of aboriginal people were being moved off their lands and drifting into the near by towns.For example Thalia states: “The township of Fitzroy Crossing became akin to a refugee camp for Aboriginal people from stations throughout the Fitzroy River Valley”. The stations just held a few aboriginal workers back who they thought were worth keeping the rest were displaced finding themselves in towns such as Broome and Derby. The welfare system was born. (Word count 500)

REFERENCES

Bunbury, B. (2003). //ABC// //Podcast.// Retrieved from: [] Haebich, A. (1992). //For Their Own Good:// Aborigines and Government in the South West of Western Australia. 1900-1940. Perth: UWA Press. Coombs, H. C. (1994). //Aboriginal Autonomy//. Australian Print Group. Jebb, M.A. (2002). //Blood, Sweat and Welfare:// A history of White Bosses and Aboriginal Pastoral Workers. University of Western Australia Press. Kelly, P. (1985). //From little things big things grow.// Retrieved from: [] Kelly, S.M. (1980). //The Long Road Back//. Koon Wah Printing Pte. Ltd. Lovell, S. //Gibb river road Photo Album.// Retrieved from: [] Pilbara Strike (1946 – 1949). Retrieved from: __ http://www.reasoninrevolt.net.au/biogs/E000282b.htm __ Thalia, A. (2006). //Equal pay but no Jobs//. Retrieved from: []