FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Commerzbank employees and a prominent labour union on Friday called on the German government to oppose a takeover of the German lender by Italy's UniCredit. The joint statement from the Commerzbank works council and the Verdi union marks the starkest opposition yet by employee representatives of a possible tie-up between the two banks.

The German government has started an internal probe into its Commerzbank AG share sale after the transaction allowed UniCredit SpA to swoop in and take a major stake in the lender.

Opposition within the German government to a potential takeover of Commerzbank by UniCredit is solidifying, amid anger at the way the Italian bank acquired its 9 per cent stake and concern over potential macroeconomic risks a merger might pose to the German economy.

A German bank staff union on Thursday called on Berlin to prevent UniCredit from buying Commerzbank, warning of massive job losses if a deal goes through. The warning by the DBV union comes days after