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The demonstration came amid fears of large-scale public sector job cuts and loss of public employees' benefits in the face of looming state budget cuts.

The New York City Central Labor Council organized the rally in response to what it calls unprecedented attacks on workers' rights.

"New York was built by union members. Everywhere you go, you look here, it's union, union people built this," said union worker Lola Fischel. "It's not about money, it's not about jobs, it's not about budgets. It's about breaking the unions."

Saturday's event came on the heels of similar rallies around the country. In Wisconsin, a law curbing collective bargaining rights has sparked a heated political debate.

Opponents say that with state budgets growing out of control – and cutbacks happening in the private sector – union members need to share some of the burden.

Those who marched through Midtown Saturday said state and city governments do not need to balance the budget on their backs.

"It's an evil virus that can pollute one state to another, the kinds of layoffs that are being suggested in New York State, or the fact that they want to eliminate tenure," said retired teacher Doris Rank, one of the Saturday's rally participants.

"This mayor is trying to destroy the unions in the City of New York. Make no mistake," said teacher Dave Pecoraro. "He's lying about needing to do layoffs."

"The unions are starting to get weak here in the City of New York and it's not fair. They bailed everybody else out except for the union trades," said demonstrator Clarence Wilson, an insulation installer.

As many as 75,000 public sector jobs could be cut in New York State.

Other rallies have taken place across the country - including in Wisconsin, where a law curbing collective bargaining rights sparked a heated political battle.