Spain's public sector stopped work and took to the streets to protest the government's anti-crisis austerity plan on Tuesday.

The public sector workers demonstrated in front of the headquarters of the Spanish Ministry of Economy in downtown Madrid, holding banners that read, "No to the cutbacks" to protest against the government austerity plan that aims to cut the deficit and pull the nation out of recession.

The austerity measures included freezing pensions, abolishing aid for new born babies and wage cuts for public employees.

The strike, which began at midnight, was called by the unions including the country's two largest, the CCOO and the UGT.

Unions estimated some 75 percent of public employees joined the strike, which UGT General Secretary Julio Lacuerda labeled a success.

However, Consuelo Rumi, Secretary of State for the Public Sector, put the number of people on strike at only 11 percent.