Spanish workers stage first general strike in 14 years over housing

Spanish workers staged the country's first general strike in 14 years on Wednesday, setting up picket lines and shutting businesses in a protest over housing costs, less than three weeks before a snap national election.

The walkout was called by the UGT and CCOO, Spain's two largest unions, which represent more than a million workers, and backed by tenants' associations angry about rising rents and evictions, Dawn reported. Unions put participation at four million workers, the same outlet said.

Pickets went up despite stormy weather, according to the South China Morning Post, which reported delays across the public transport system and production slowing in factories in the euro zone's fourth-largest economy. France 24 reported that millions of workers shut down businesses and public transport, and gave the action's slogan as "Salaries. Housing. Prices."

It is the first nationwide stoppage since 2012, when Spanish unions called workers out against austerity measures during the euro zone debt crisis, Dawn reported.

Strikers demanded that the government act on housing affordability. France 24 reported that the government hopes to turn the dispute to its advantage before the election later this month. The South China Morning Post said the poll, less than three weeks away, could bring the far right to power.

Reuters reported the strike under the heading of anger over housing, and Al Jazeera reported it as Spain's first general strike in 14 years. All the outlets reporting the walkout described it as the first of its kind since 2012.

The UGT and CCOO are Spain's main confederations and have historically negotiated national wage agreements with employers. Housing costs have risen sharply across Spanish cities, and the tenants' groups backing the strike have campaigned against evictions.