This week is Living Wage Week, and the latest figures from the ONS show over a quarter of working people in our area earn less than the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended rate of £8.45 per hour. Many of them are young people, and starting life on a wage that isn’t enough to live independently isn’t fair for them and sends out the wrong kind of message about the society we want to see.

November is also Young Workers’ Month, and it’s more important than ever that young people, particularly those who are being underpaid, are active in their workplace and joining trade unions. All the evidence shows that young people in unions earn more than those who aren’t, and other benefits include being defended in cases of unfair dismissal, or taking up any other issues you might have with your boss.

If you’d like to join a union, but don’t know which one is right for you, you can use the TUC’s handy union finder tool here.