Hundreds of thousands of Spanish workers are protesting against labor reforms. The government says that the reforms are necessary for the economy, but workers say that they might allow companies to fire more workers. The changes will make it cheaper to lay off workers be cutting severance packages, and will allow companies to pull out of collective bargaining agreements if the company loses money. Companies will also have greater control over wages and hours. The government is also cutting spending and increasing taxes. Spain has one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe, at almost 25%.
See "Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards protest new labor reforms", Lauren Frayer, Los Angeles Times, February 19, 2012