MEMBERS of a public sector union staged a rally at the weekend to highlight their campaign for a living wage.

The rally was staged in Sunderland's Mowbray Park, by the city's Unison branch.

The event followed the announcement that the minimum wage is to rise from £3.70 to £4.10 an hour from October.

Unison spokesman Sean Kelly said: "Unison campaigned for the introduction of a national minimum wage.

"We welcomed its introduction as a vindication of our campaign work.

"We also see the increase to £4.10 an hour as a further victory in our ongoing campaign.

"However, the rate is still too low and the lower rate paid to young workers is unacceptable."

He said: "The rally is part of a Unison strategy to shame the Government and scrooge employers to make poverty pay a distant dream as we start the 21st Century."

Unison has encouraged workers to travel to Manchester on April 28 for a national demonstration on the same issue