Minnesotans call for minimum wage increase

Groups gathered in 21 U.S. cities including Minneapolis Saturday to promote raising the nation's minimum wage to $15 per hour.

A few dozen people gathered in the basement of church in south Minneapolis to talk about the importance of paying minimum wage workers more.

The push in the DFL-controlled Minnesota Legislature to raise Minnesota's minimum wage to $9.50 an hour is a good start, said 29-year-old Chris Gray, who helped organize what was called the "15 Now" gathering.

"We welcome any increase to the minimum wage and anything that's going to help low-wage workers we see as a victory. But we do think there's a basis to push for more than that," he said.

A living wage for someone in Minneapolis would be about double the $9.50 per hour under consideration at the Legislature, Gray said.