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After a plan to cut public sector wages, freeze pensions and cut government spending on infrastructure passed the Spanish parliament, Spanish workers protested on Tuesday. While the government said 12% of workers participated, the unions said 80% did. Spain has around 2.6 million public sector workers, but most are not union members. The Spanish government has said that if unions do not reach deals with employers that satisfy them, they will pass labor reforms through decree is necessary. Reforms are expected to change hiring and firing rules in hopes of stimulating economic growth. The protest on Tuesday was seen by many as a test of whether a general strike was feasible.