Thousands of low-wage workers have marched in New York, Los Angeles and other US cities calling for minimum pay of US$15 (NZ$21.80) an hour.
It's a cause that has scored major legislative victories in California and New York state in recent weeks.
The union-backed "Fight for $15" campaign has expanded since its inception in 2012 from a movement mostly centred on the fast-food industry to encompass other low-wage sectors, such as home health care, retail outlets and hospitals.
Much of the attention in Thursday's rallies, in what some organisers called a national day of action, was on McDonald's Corp fast-food eateries, the world's biggest restaurant chain by revenue.
Demonstrators said they want to get to a US$15 minimum in any way they can, whether that happens at the state or city level or even via individual companies.
In New York City, demonstrators rallied in Times Square and later protested outside a Republican gala featuring the party's three candidates for the 2016 presidential race, while in Los Angeles protesters held aloft large balloons and marched behind a banner that read, "McJobs hurt us all".
Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke at the rally in Times Square, on a day that also saw Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders express support for the marchers.
On the West Coast, organisers said more than 2000 people marched through downtown Los Angeles.
Similar demonstrations in dozens of other US cities, including Chicago and Miami, drew thousands of workers to the streets.
Reuters
