ANTI-POVERTY campaigners in Glasgow have demanded workers are paid a minimum "living wage" of £7 per hour.

The wage, which has already been adopted by Glasgow City Council for its staff, is the minimum needed to raise thousands of workers out of poverty a meeting in Dalmarnock Community Centre was told.

The Scottish Living Wage Campaign, which launched yesterday, is urging employers in the public and private sectors to put an end to poverty wages by raising the earnings of their lowest paid workers.

At the launch, Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, said: "At least 700,000 workers in Scotland earn less than £7 per hour.

"The majority of these are women and work in the private sector, although a significant number also work in the public and voluntary sectors.

"At a time of recession it is vital that all employers take steps to make ensure that their most valuable assets, their workers, are protected."

Glasgow City Council was singled out for praise for already applying the £7 rate to its staff.

And council leader Steven Purcell said the council was committed to keeping the wage rate, even if the council faced budget cuts in the future.

Councillor Purcell said: "It's a commitment we'll stick to no matter how hard it makes decisions elsewhere."