HC Deb 10 April 1957 vol 568 cc139-40W
Captain Kerby

asked the Minister of Labour if he will introduce legislation to enable him to hold an official referendum of all trade unionists in the United Kingdom on whether they are content to be ordered out on strike, unasked, by their

TABLE I
Bootle … … … County Boroughs of Liverpool, Bootle and Southport.
Municipal Borough of Crosby.
Urban District of Litherland.
St. Helens … … … County Boroughs of St. Helens and Warrington (Part). (Part), Prescot and Rainford.
Municipal Borough of Widnes.
Urban Districts of Golborne (Part), Huyton, Lymm, Newton-le. Willows
Wallasey … … … County Boroughs of Birkenhead and Wallasey.
Municipal Borough of Bebington.
Urban Districts of Hoylake and Neston.

officials, or would prefer, in the national interest as well as their own, to decide for themselves through a secret compulsory strike ballot.

Mr. Iain Macleod

As I have stated on previous occasions, I am not convinced that a secret strike ballot would help to promote industrial peace. Moreover, the great majority of strikes are unofficial and such legislation would be of little value in these cases.