Catalonia faced widespread disruption on Wednesday morning as a 24-hour general strike over wages and housing brought industrial activity to a halt at several major workplaces and disrupted road and rail transport across the country. Pickets blocked access to industrial estates and around 50 roads. Most of the blockades were lifted by 1 pm, but they remain on the AP-7 near Girona and the A-2. Barcelona's metro operated at 25% of its usual service during the morning rush hour, before halting completely. Unions CCOO and UGT described the strike's opening hours as highly successful, reporting shutdowns at major companies including Seat, Ebro, Ficosa and Grífols, as well as at Mercabarna, Barcelona's main wholesale food market. CCOO put overall participation in the strike at 84% in Catalonia, based on its initial figures covering night and morning shifts and excluding minimum services. Barcelona-El Prat airport has also been affected, with 85 of more than 700 scheduled flights cancelled and delays reported throughout the morning. The Aerobús airport shuttle has experienced longer waiting times, with services running approximately every 30 minutes instead of the usual 10. The Catalan government said minimum services were generally being maintained and described the strike's initial hours as peaceful, with no serious incidents reported. The general strike has been called to demand higher wages and better access to affordable housing, with unions arguing that rising living costs and stagnant salaries are putting increasing pressure on workers and households. - @catalan_news