Protesters marched in Yakima and other places around the state and the country Tuesday to demand a raise in the minimum wage.

Bearing a petition with over 1,000 signatures, dozens of minimum-wage workers -- calling themselves the Working Washington -- gathered in Millennium Plaza Tuesday afternoon and marched to City Hall on Second Street to encourage Yakima City Council leaders to support them in raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Workers from, farming, food service and nursing homes banded together to show support for the change. With the current state minimum wage at $9.47 an hour, they believe the extra $5.53 per hour will help them with basic living needs.

"A minimum wage, $15 an hour," Service Employees International Union Representative Organizer Patricia Flores explained, "so that people can afford groceries, a roof over their head, the monthly bills; electricity, water. Everything has risen in cost, so it's just to make ends meet when you're raising your family ..."

The issue of raising pay has been a hot-button issue since June 2014, when the Seattle City Council raised minimum wages to $15 an hour for workers in their city.

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