Italian strike hits planes, trains

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Much of Italy's transit network came to a halt Friday when about 300,000 employees stayed home from work to protest what they say is a lack of investment in the transport sector.

The one-day strike grounded planes, buses, trains and ferries.

It is Italy's biggest general transportation strike since at least 1990, according to labor union leaders.

Labeled "Black Friday" by Italian media, train and ferry services were halted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time, Franco Nasso from the national trade union CGIL, or Italian General Confederation of Labor.

Bus and train services were stopped for eight-hour periods starting at 8:30 a.m., Nasso said. Even funeral hearse drivers went on strike, he added.

In Rome, some commuters stayed at home rather than find alternative transportation, while others walked to work. Watch how strikes affect Italian commuters »

The strike on the bus network didn't begin until after the morning rush hour so many workers were still able to get to their jobs.

Around 1 million people work in the transportation sector in Italy.

Transport workers say no money has been set aside for the sector in the latest government budget.

They also are concerned over the declining fortunes of the main transport companies, starting with the state airline company Alitalia, which the Italian government is seeking to sell.

At Rome's main airport, more than 160 flights to and from the airport were canceled as pilots, flight crew and ground staff joined the strike, according to the airport news agency, Telenews.

Alitalia accounted for 109 of the 162 cancellations recorded, the agency reported. E-mail to a friend

Hada Messia in Rome contributed to this report.