Sydney
At the time, the maritime unions were the strongest voices for securing the rights of Aboriginal people: ending pay schemes that paid Aboriginal people in rations and leading to the first recognition of Aborginal land rights in Australia.
He spoke to one meeting of 30 people and another of about 80 people. There was an enthusiastic response from workers who were stunned at how bad things were. Mark said he learned everything he knew about unionism from his days on the wharves in Darwin. We also sold quite a few copies of “This is what we said.”
Fordham spoke at some CFMEU sites from the 26 to 29th of October and an October 27 national conference of CFMEU delegates, where many attendees commented the Indigenous workers panel Mark addressed was a highlight of the conference.