keeping its budget under control. But protesters in Madrid said the measures wrecked workers' rights. "It's damaging for workers, it makes it easier to fire people, it benefits employers -- they're laying us off across the public sector," said Irene Jimenez, a 29-year-old health worker on the latest of a series of three-month contracts. The reform would not help Spain's unemployed, public sector employee Jose Javier Rodriguez, 53, said. "It's absurd to think you're going to bring down unemployment by making it easier to fire people," he said. The March 29 general strike is the first since September 2010 when unions balked at a watered-down labour reform enforced by the previous Socialist government. The 2010 strike had limited impact aside from disrupting transport and factories. Around three-quarters of Spaniards do not believe the labour reform will help create jobs, according to a recent poll. However, 67 percent believe a general strike will not help matters and may make the situation worse.