Rome - Italy's conservative government on Friday approved a bill to restrict strikes marring the country's transport sector, a move criticized by the country's main labour union confederation.

According to the bill, only unions representing at least half the workforce will be able to directly call transport strikes.

In cases where no single union has the support of at least 50 per cent of the workers, then a vote would be required to approve a

strike with at least 30 per cent in favour of stoppage.

"We will also be able to sanction disloyal behaviour by striking transport workers and those in other sectors whose actions lead to the blocking of motorways, airports and traffic," Welfare Minister Maurizio Sacconi said.

Italy experienced hundreds of worker walkouts in the transport sector in 2008, many of them in protest at the sale of flaghip airline Alitalia.

Some moderate unions welcomed the proposal, which still needs to be approved by parliament, but the largest left-wing CGIL confederation accused Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government of encroaching on workers' rights.

"Berlusconi is taking the wrong path, one which represents a danger to the democratic system, for people's freedom and which can distort relations between employers and workers," CGIL General Secretary, Guglielmo Epifani said.

An independent commission which monitors industrial action said on Thursday that last year 413 bus and metro strikes, 301 airline strikes and 216 train strikes were declared. A third were called off at the last minute, but still caused major disruptions, it said. (dpa)