ROME, April 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Italian trade unions said over half amillion Italian pensioners marched through Rome on Saturday to protest against government plans for pension reform and rising prices.

    Among the thousands of pensioners who came to the capital from all over the country were many young people who said they were worried about their future.

    The protest march was called by Italy's three main trade union confederations, the CGIL, the CISL and the UIL, which have a totalof about 11 million members, about half of them pensioners.

    "Our patience has been used up," said the trade union CGIL leader Guglielmo Epifani during his speech to the crowds gathered in the central Piazza San Giovanni, the traditional destination ofprotest marches in Rome.

    "Either the government changes direction or it doesn't represent us any more," he added, referring to both economic policy and pension reform plans.

    Unions organized nationwide strike eight days ago to protest onthe same issues. They said afterwards that the country had come toa standstill and a million workers had joined protest marches up and down the peninsula.

    Italian unions have vowed to defeat the current plan, raising the pension age to 65 for men and 60 for women.

    In an effort to placate the unions, the Italian government saidthat it will also offer incentives to people to work longer, including higher, untaxed take-home pay. Enditem