Monday, May 01, 2006

Pilbara pastoral strike anniversary remembered

Indigenous people in Western Australia's north-west are commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Pilbara pastoral strike.

Aboriginal pastoral workers walked off stations on May 1, 1946, demanding wages and better conditions.

Fran Heintz from the Wanga Maya Aboriginal Language Centre says the event had a massive impact on Indigenous workers.

"It's been a fairly significant event for the region and in many ways we believe it's a significant national event," he said.

"Some people actually call it the black Eureka. It did set what's been in place now for 60 years and that is the equal respect.

"Those workers were as good as workers if not better than anybody else and they should have been equally payed. It's a major event and it really has changed the way people have lived."

listen to Clancy and Dooley and Don McLeod

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