A small but hardy crowd gathered in the Octagon at 2pm for hot food, live music and guest speakers, as part of the nationwide campaign for a $15 per hour minimum wage for workers.
The event was co-organised in Dunedin by the International Socialists Organisation (ISO) and the Unite New Zealand union.
ISO organiser Kevin Hodder, of Dunedin, said the weather had dampened plans for picnics in the Octagon, but not support for the campaign.
Organisers hoped to collect 300,000 signatures for a citizens-initiated referendum by the one-year deadline of May next year.
Dunedin organisers had collected about 3000 signatures in 10 weeks, including about 800 at Saturday's Spring Food Festival, Mr Hodder said.
Yesterday's inclement conditions forced the cancellation of the planned Unions Otago Labour Day Picnic, scheduled to be held from noon at Woodhaugh Gardens, Unions Otago executive committee member Rex Askerud said.
Dunedin garden centres reported a busy Labour Weekend due to good weather and the increasing popularity of vegetable gardening.
However, business eased off yesterday due to wet weather, the garden businesses said.
Other businesses contacted by the Otago Daily Times declined to comment.
