WORKING people are seeing their living standards squeezed harder every year. The cost of energy, transport and housing is soaring yet wages are £2,000 lower in real terms than they were in 2010.

To highlight the financial struggle that many ordinary families up and down the country are facing and to raise the issue of low pay, the TUC is running Fair Pay Fortnight from Monday, March 24 to April 6.

While new jobs may be returning to the economy they're increasingly low paid, on low hours and offering low security. In-work poverty is growing, with more working people turning to food banks or payday lenders just to get by.

Unions around the country are pressing for fairer pay for their members and the public. Britain needs a pay rise and that's why the TUC is calling on all the political parties to make fair pay a priority in their election manifestos.

It is essential that ordinary workers benefit from economic growth and we need an economy that can create good jobs with decent wages for everyone.

Please help join our call for fairer pay and sign the petition at http://www.fairpayfortnight.org">www.fairpayfortnight.org

Nigel Costley

South West TUC Regional Secretary

Bristol