Trade union membership in the Yorkshire region has grown for the second successive year, new government figures show.

The number of members grew by 21,000 to 596,000 last year following a rise of 16,000 the year before, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Neil Foster, Yorkshire TUC policy and campaigns officer, said: “These new figures show that more and more people across Yorkshire value what trade unions offer. In a tough economic climate people want fair pay, decent training and someone their side.”