Catalunya grinds to a halt in mass protest strike

El Prat airport was said to be running 'as normal' as at 09.45 this morning (Tuesday), and although the regional education authority had given schools permission to strike as they wished, minimum services will continue in infants and primary, and high schools and FE colleges will have 'at least one official' on duty.

Even the Cistercian monks at the Poblet Monastery have joined the strike, but have agreed to let visitors in pre-booked groups continue with their tours, albeit behind locked doors.

Tarragona has stopped its bus service for the day, and the city council – run by the socialists – has complained of picket lines with people hurling stones at buses and covering them with graffiti.

More pickets have blocked the T-11 Reus-Tarragona motorway, even burning tyres on the carriageway.

Major chemical plants are working on 'minimum services only', although a spokesman for petroleum giant Repsol says shift changes 'went ahead as normal'.

Industrial estates, shops, and even farms have shut down for the day, and protests are taking place in the ports of Barcelona, Palamós, Vilanova i la Geltrú and Sant Carles de la Ràpita as dock workers have completely downed tools.

Councillor for the right-wing PP – the same party as Spanish president Mariano Rajoy – in Palamós (Girona province), Vanessa Mányik, has quit in 'disgust' and 'deep disapproval' at the 'way the government has acted' over the referendum and what she describes as 'brutality' on the part of the police.

The Catalunya National Art Museum, Barcelona's Contemporary Art Museum, the city auditorium, the Music Museum, the Lycée music academy, the Palau de la Música opera house and the Catalunya National Theatre have all announced their programmed performances for the day have been called off and their doors are shut.

Demonstrators have blocked the A-2 motorway between Bellpuig and Tàrrega, in the land-locked Pyrénéen province of Lleida, and university students have not gone to class.

The regional government has told public-sector workers that if they wish to strike today, they will still get paid – normally, although every worker in Spain has the right to join industrial action, they lose their salary for the days they strike.

Private health clinics and hospitals have shut, and the public health service has joined in the shut-down.

Emergencies, operations, cancer treatment, kidney dialysis, childbirth, newborn care, intensive care, transplants, surgery and treatment for heart conditions, and oxygen therapy including home life support are all guaranteed, but non-urgent or non-crucial appointments have been rebooked.

Ambulance transport for all the above, and for emergencies, is also covered.

Barcelona-El Prat, Reus, Girona-Costa Brava and Sabadell airports are required to provide 'minimum services' ranging from 23% to 56% and, although as yet no flights have been delayed or cancelled, airport governing body AENA recommends anyone due to fly today to or from Catalunya should check with their airline that their travel plans will be going ahead as usual.

Spain's government says the strike is 'not valid' because it has not been convened in accordance with set procedures by unions.