Tens of thousands of public employees, trade union members, indignados and many other Spaniards protested yesterday, July 19th, in 80 Spanish cities to protest the latest batch of cutbacks approved by the government.

The ruling conservative Popular Party used its majority in parliament to push through the measures last Thursday to mass opposition. They include a rise in sales taxes and a wage cut for public sector workers.

As night fell across Spain, marchers in Madrid carried Spanish flags bearing black bows for mourning and banners saying, "No to the cuts'' and "You have ruined us''.

Late Thursday, the government also published details of the $122.9bn financial assistance agreement between Spain and the Eurogroup aimed at shoring up the country's struggling banks and protecting the interests of the big European banking institutions.

Huge protests against crisis pay cuts and tax hikes have filled the streets of Spanish cities as workers yelled in anger branding the crisis measures "robbery".

"Hands up, this is a robbery!" protesters chanted in Madrid, where a sea of thousands of angry demonstrators filled up the streets of the city centre on Thursday.

Unions had earlier called for the more than 80 demonstrations across the country in the latest and biggest in an almost daily series of protests this month. A General Strike is set to follow in the Autumn as anger amongst the rank and file grows.

"There's nothing we can do but take to the street. We have lost between 10 and 15 per cent of our pay in the past four years," said Sara Alvera, 51, a worker in the justice sector, demonstrating in Madrid.

There is a cut to the Christmas bonus paid to civil servants, equivalent to a seven-per cent reduction in annual pay. This came on top of a pay cut in 2010, which was followed by a salary freeze.

"These measures won't help end the crisis."

Smaller protests, organised largely via online social networks, have occurred daily since the latest austerity measures were announced on July 11, with some workers taking to the streets during their morning coffee breaks.

Hundreds of protesters, including firefighters wearing their helmets have blocked traffic in Madrid.

This follows on the back of the massive resistance of the Austurias miners reported elsewhere on this site.

Expect Spain to deliver a hot autumn as workers resistance to the crisis rises!