Frankfurt

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel is proposing curbs to union power following walkouts in recent months that have crippled the country's transport network.

Strikes this year by Deutsche Lufthansa pilots have led to the cancellation of 5,800 flights, while a series of walkouts by Deutsche Bahn engineers have brought trains to a standstill. Now, Ms Merkel's government, in a proposal released this week, is pushing to limit the role of smaller labour groups in wage negotiations.