DULUTH — Labor, religious, nonprofit and public service groups are joining forces to rally support in Minnesota for increasing the minimum wage.

The coalition called Raise the Wage hope to convince legislators to increase the state’s minimum wage by more than $3 an hour in the next two years. The coalition stopped in Duluth, Mankato and rallied at the Minnesota State Fair Tuesday.

Most employers in Minnesota have adopted the federal standard of $7.25 an hour for larger companies. Coalition leaders say raising the wage would help lift low-wage workers out of poverty and reduce the need for taxpayer-funded social services.

Opponents include the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. It said raising the minimum wage would force employers to cut jobs or decrease workers’ hours.