Italy's transport grinds to halt

ROME, Italy -- Italian buses and trams have ground to a halt in staggered strikes across the country, just 24 hours after some courts and factories closed down.

Commuters struggled in their attempt to get to work on Friday while bemused tourists were left stranded as workers held eight-hour strikes at different times throughout the country.

Unions are calling for wages to match inflation, currently the equivalent of a monthly pay packet increase of 106.39 euros ($100). They want new contracts to reflect the change this year and next year.

In Rome the strike was scheduled to last from 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) to 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) while in Milan it was due to start at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).

Naples saw the strike scheduled for the heart of the working day, from morning till afternoon, while Turin's transit workers called their strike to begin at 3 p.m.

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In Florence, the walkout is being split into two parts to coincide with the morning and evening rush hours.

The unions carried out similar industrial action last month, but restricted it to four hours.

Judges and metal workers downed their wigs and tools on Thursday over government plans to change the judiciary and labour laws.

Italian prosecutors and judges, who staged their first strike in 11 years, fear reform will diminish their powers.

The most highly charged aspect of the reform is a provision which would give parliament some power to set the agenda for prosecutors -- something that would interfere with the judiciary's independence, the magistrates say.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi maintains the reform is fair and necessary to speed up the country's notoriously slow judicial process.

Italy's largest union, the CGIL, called its factory members out for four hours in Lombardy and Campania over government plans to change labour laws which would effectively make it easier to fire workers.

The government, wary of further strike action, offered on Thursday to set aside 700 million euros ($670 million) to bolster unemployment benefits.

Italy's strike action follows discontent throughout Europe over pay issues and plans by Brussels for a centralised air traffic system. (Spain's strikes)