The demonstrations came even as Hong Kong ushered in its first minimum wage at HK$28 ($3.60), which unions hailed as a step forward, but not enough for many low-income families struggling to make ends meet.

The pay floor is a controversial measure that has divided labour and business groups for years.

Business leaders have warned that the law will lead to widespread job losses among poor workers in the densely populated city of seven million, often credited as having the freest economy in the world.

Chanting slogans and banging drums and cymbals, activists staged a noisy procession in the heart of downtown Hong Kong to demand stronger labour laws, with their ranks swelling to 4,000 by organisers' estimates.

"Put an end to worker exploitation," they called out in unison.

"Paid rest days, raise salaries, fight inflation, resume public housing."

Another 3,000 activists turned out for a separate protest later Sunday, marching with cardboard cut-outs of leaders and tycoons, including Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing -- defaced with devil horns and vampire fangs.

"Property developers are evil and have no conscience," a group of banner-carrying demonstrators shouted.

Cleaner Ah Shan said the city's minimum wage was a good idea, but too low.

"It does not even cover basic living expenses," she told AFP.

"I am very disappointed. Hopefully, the government will review this level sometime soon in the future."

About one thousand people also marched through Macau, a neighbouring semi-autonomous Chinese territory and the world's biggest gambling hub, with one protester arrested, a government spokesman said.

Like Hong Kong, the former Portuguese colony has seen property prices soar as critics worry about its gambling-dependent economy.

Hong Kong's government has pledged to sell off more public land in a bid to cool red-hot property prices which have put home ownership out of reach for many residents.

Concern over Hong Kong's growing income gap -- which the UN Development Programme pegged in 2009 as the world's biggest among wealthy economies -- prompted the government to usher in the new wage floor.

Many countries already have minimum wage legislation in place, with hourly rates in New York and London set between $7.25 and $9.90.

"We are in a new age -- the implementation of the minimum wage is a big step forward for local labour rights," said Pan Pey Chyou, a legislator and vice-chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions (FTU).

Hong Kong is famous for its free market economy and stunningly wealthy tycoons whose business empires span all sectors of the local economy and the world. But the city is also home to hundreds of thousands of workers who live on hourly wages at times as low as $2 an hour.

"Poverty is a very serious problem among our base-line workers and it is important for us to stand out and speak out today," said Stanley Ng, the union's chairman.

The union said it worried employers would try to circumvent the law by changing staff contracts to cut benefits and paid rest days.

"Hong Kong lags behind other countries in terms of protecting labour rights," Pan said.

"And there are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed. That's why we have to keep pushing for labour rights".

Hong Kong's labour boss acknowledged that "teething problems are inevitable in launching a major initiative of such magnitude".

"We are entering uncharted waters in Hong Kong's social development," Matthew Cheung, the secretary for labour and welfare, said in a statement.

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