UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis marked Living Wage week with a visit to Bradford to launch a new charter designed to encourage private and public sector employers in the area to commit to paying a living wage.
The three NHS trusts in the Bradford district have now all signed up to become living wage employers.
They join six councils in the Yorkshire area – Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield and York who are pledged to pay the living wage.
Mr Prentis said: “This can serve as an outstanding example to other employers, in both the public and private sectors.
“The living wage is not just a public-sector campaign. Many private sector companies across the country are signed up and we are delighted that Bradford-based supermarket chain, Morrisons, have signed up to pay all their staff the living wage.”
Mr Prentis was speaking at Bradford City Hall at an event to celebrate the living wage and encourage other employers to sign up to the Bradford Fairness Charter. He pledged the union’s full support.
Recent research from the Resolution Foundation shows that last year more than one in five employees were paid less than the living wage.
Earlier in the day Mr Prentis opened the new UNISON office at Leeds Teaching Hospital and walked the wards to meet with apprentices.