HONG KONG, Feb 6 (AP) -- About 1,000 maids from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal marched through downtown Hong Kong on Sunday to protest a US$50 (€40) reduction in the minimum monthly salary for domestic helpers.

The demonstrators walked peacefully from an urban park to Hong Kong government headquarters wearing paper hats that said "Bring back 3,670" -- a referen ce to their original minimum monthly salary level of 3,670 Hong Kong dollars (US$470; €370).

The government slashed the maids' pay by HK$400 (US$50; €40) to HK$3,270 (US$420; €330) in 2003, in a move it said was necessary to weather Hong Kong's economic recession at the time.

The maids say the cut undermines their ability to support families back home, where a small difference in pay -- by Hong Kong standards -- can translate into a big difference in living standards.

"It's a big impact for us. Four hundred dollars is a big amount that we can spend," said Anna Manao, 37, a native of the Philippine island of Marinduque.

"I need that (amount) for my grandchildren ... they are all students," said 68-year-old Filipino Nelly Bonuel, an Angeles City native who has worked in Hong Kong for 32 years.

Organizers didn't have an immediate head count for Sunday's protest. Police said about 1,000 attended.

The maids have repeatedly protested the wage cut and launched a lawsuit against it. The legal challenge failed but the maids are appealing.

One demonstrator said the domestic workers will be persistent.

"We will not stop fighting for this," said Filipino Nelly Clama, a 29-year-old native of Iloilo.

The Hong Kong government had no immediate comment on the march.

As of the end of November, more than 218,000 foreigners worked as domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Most come from the Philippines, with smaller numbers from Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal.