A Spanish union representing Nestle workers is pushing back against calls for a boycott of Catalan products, saying that punishing a major employer in the region with separatist ambitions could backfire on the country’s economy.

Hundreds of thousands of people protested across Spain yesterday against reforms to the labour market they fear will destroy workers’ rights, and spending cuts they say are destroying the welfare state.

Hundreds of Spanish civil servants chanted protests in central Madrid today as they took part in a one-day strike over wage cuts aimed at reducing the country’s huge deficit.