Oral Answers to Questions — Post Office Employes (Strike-Policy).

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 6 December 1920.

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Photo of Sir William Davison Sir William Davison , Kensington South

(by Private Notice) asked the Postmaster-General whether a ballot has just been taken among 107,049 employés of the Post Office who are members of the Union of Post Office Workers on the question of whether a strike policy should be adopted by the union and a strike fund created; whether 48,157 employés voted in favour of a strike policy and for the creation of a strike fund, and 35,411 against, being a Majority in favour of the above proposal of 12,746, no ballot papers being returned by 23,481; whether he is aware that the above result is to be considered by the executive of the union on 8th December, in order to decide upon further action; and whether he will see that an intimation is communicated to the executive of the union before that date indicating that persons in the Government service cannot be permitted to hold up the community by means of a strike against a decision of the Government who represent the elected representatives of the people of the country?

Post Office

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majority

The term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.