YOUNG union activists have joined up with Rangers fans to launch protests over Sports Direct, taking in some of Scotland's most famous landmarks.

Protest banners appeared across the country including at the Forth Road Bridge, George Square, The Kelpies near Falkirk, and in Ibrox.

Unite Scotland's community and young members carried out the landmarks protest as part of their Decent Work for All campaign in protest at Mike Ashley’s zero hour contract firm, Sports Direct.

Letters have been hand-delivered to various store managers calling for the retailer, worth over £2 billion, to end use of zero hour contracts and pay their staff a living wage.

Rangers fans carried out a protest outside the Ibrox megastore against the club's controversial retail deal with Sports Direct.

It comes in the wake of an announcement that Rangers had triggered a seven-year notice period to end the deal.

Fans also protested on the 18th minute of the game, with supporters unveiling banners around the stadium to protest against Mike Ashley. They included a #SportsDirectShame banner provided by Unite.

The Herald:

Sports Direct boss Dave Forsey has previously defended the company’s use of zero-hours contracts, arguing that the vast majority of casual staff valued the flexibility and saying the company needed to work harder to counter “negative media coverage” of the issue.

Unite Scotland’s community coordinator Jamie Caldwell said they had worked with the Rangers fans group Sons of Struth in the protest, adding: "We have had actions up and down the country against Sports Direct's employment practices."

Ashley has attempted to deflect the growing negative publicity by awarding a 15p pay rise to workers — an increase dismissed as “paltry” by Mr Caldwell, who added: “Now we have him on the run there will be no let up.”

The retailer, which has 450 stores nationwide, has come under fire for the widespread use of the controversial contracts within its its 27,000-strong workforce.

The fans demo came before and during Rangers draw with Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup.

A similar protest was launched in November, after Ashley took an even tighter grip on Rangers' retail division sharing a place on the board with club chairman Dave King.

The Sports Direct supremo had already been the ultimate controlling party of Rangers Retail and his people outnumber King's by three to two.

The Rangers Supporters Trust criticised the retail deal saying the club gets as little as 5p from every pound spent.

The Herald:

Sports Direct sold nearly £4 million of goods to club outlets in the past year.

It means that the sports firm headed by Mr Ashley, who owns 8.9% of the club plc, has taken nearly £8 million in two years of sales to the Rangers Retail joint venture, which runs the club's entire retail and merchandise operation, including the club's Rangers Megastore.

Sports Direct previously insisted that the sales of goods to Rangers Retail are at "cost plus a small handling fee" and that Rangers sells on the stock to its customers in its shops “and keeps all of the sales proceeds.

The Herald:

The Rangers International Football Club plc board has previously admitted it was forced to pay Sports Direct £1.6m, its share of a Rangers Retail dividend, over the "cessation of onerous leases" in relation to the closure of club shops.

Under the previous 10-year retail agreement with JJB struck by Sir David Murray in 2006, Rangers accepted an initial £18m from the sports firm, while it was also guaranteed a minimum royalty fee of £3m per year until 2016.

As a result, JJB held exclusive rights to design, develop, source and retail merchandise associated with the club.

Sports Direct were approached for comment.