MORE than seven thousand trade unionists and anti-poverty activists took to the streets of Glasgow on Saturday under the banner “Decent Work, Dignified Lives.”

In a barnstorming speech, author and campaigner Owen Jones told the rally in George Square that the democratic spirit of Scotland’s referendum would not go away and demands for more power to Holyrood must be won by direct political action from below.

“We never win anything by asking politely, hoping for goodwill from above — we win by making them fear us,” he said.

“We know promises will be broken — that’s why people down south need to stand with you to ensure the politicians give the Scottish parliament every single power it needs to make Scotland a fairer, more just and more equal society.”

Mr Jones said British society was “fundamentally bankrupt when the wealth of the top thousand has doubled in the five years since the beginning of the crisis and yet people are unable to feed themselves and are forced to go to foodbanks in order to live, and when most people in poverty are working to earn their poverty day after day.”

STUC General Secretary Grahame Smith said that it was “utterly shameful that a cabinet full of Tory millionaires refuses to sanction a one per cent pay increase for NHS workers in England” but issued warnings to opposition leaders over pay.

“I say this to Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney — sticking to George Osborne’s pay policy, which has inflicted cuts in real pay and living standards, is no way to treat Scottish public sector workers.

“And while Ed Milband’s promise of an £8 minimum wage is welcome, I say this to him — Ed — we don’t want to wait until 2020 to get it.”

Suki Sangha of the STUC Youth Committee called for a voting age of 16 at all elections following the huge politicisation of young people who were emboldened by the right to vote in the Scottish referendum.

“As trade unionists we believe that if you’re old enough to work then you’re old enough to vote,” she said.

Jeane Freeman co-founder of the Women for Independence group said: “In the end we didn’t convince enough people to vote Yes in the referendum — but the other part of our aim is independence for women.

“We have waited far too long for equality. We must work together and argue together and then we will win together.”