Spanish police used force late on Friday night against a group of demonstrators who had gathered to protest against the labor reform package, which was passed by the government of Mariano Rajoy earlier in the day, local media reported on Saturday.

Among the labor reforms are measures which lower the amount of compensation workers receive should they lose their jobs, with the compensation being reduced from 45 days salary for each year worked down to 33 days, if the worker loses their job under normal circumstances.

However, if a company can show that its sales have fallen for nine consecutive months, workers will receive just 20 days salary per year spent at that company under the new rules.

This means it is now cheaper for companies to lay off workers in a country where over 5 million people are out of work. It also means Rajoy has broken another election promise after stating during last year's election campaign that he would not make it cheaper to sack workers.

Rajoy broke another promise at the end of last year when he raised taxes, which prior to the election he had assured the would not do.

Around 800 people, linked to the 15M protest movement had gathered in the Puerta del Sol in the center of Madrid to express their anger at the measures under a banner which read 'In defense of your rights, your job and your future.'

The incidents occurred as a group of demonstrators tried to use the backstreets to make their way to the nearby Congress building. They came up against the National Police and for around 20 minutes there were sporadic scuffles as the police baton charged the demonstrators

The protest ended with nine demonstrators under arrest and nine injured, eight of whom were members of the police.

It remains to be seen what the official reaction from Spain's labor unions will be to the reforms, but a week ago Rajoy was reportedly overhead commenting that he expected the reform package to provoke a general strike in Spain.