Organised by the Australian Services Union (ASU), which represents community sector workers, and backed by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), Australia's peak body for community sector organisations, the rallies attracted thousands of community workers and supporters at 17 locations around the country.

In Canberra, community workers turned to Parliament House to blow symbolic kisses to Federal Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard, while Queensland community workers delivered a petition to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Brisbane office.

We spotted plenty of our friends amongst with 4,000 strong crowd at Melbourne's Federation Square - Sacred Heart Mission, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services and Berry Street are just a few of the ethical employers whose hard-working staff marched proudly under their organisation's banner.

The campaign for equal pay for community sector workers is unique in the extent that employers and employees are united in their support. Community organisations know that achieving pay equity isn't just about earning fair pay for a the female-dominated community sector - it's essential to the future sustainability of their organisations.

With non-government community sector workers earning 37% less than their public sector counterparts, achieving equal pay is essential to attracting and keeping skilled and committed staff within the sector.

So far, more than 80 organisations have joined ACOSS in calling for full funding of wage increases in the social and community services pay equity case.

Has your organisation signed on to the ACOSS statement? EthicalJobs.com.au strongly encourages all ethical employers to get behind the call for full funding by signing on to the statement at the ACOSS website .