About 50 Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) staff members are on strike‚ demanding payment of last year’s bonuses and the reversal of new employee policies.

Icasa spokesperson Paseka Maleka confirmed that industrial action at the institution began on Monday‚ with striking employees gathering outside their offices.

The staff members on strike are not affiliated with a union but are representing themselves. They come from various Icasa divisions.

“Staff is accusing Icasa of having failed to comply with the recognition agreement which governs the manner in which the issues of salary adjustments‚ payments of performance bonuses and various other conditions of employment affecting employees in the ‘bargaining unit’ [are dealt with].”

According to Maleka the staff members are unhappy with restructuring processes that were implemented last year. They want these policies reversed.

They are also demanding payment of their bonuses for the 2014/2015 financial year‚ he said.

The staff members say they did not agree to the new policies‚ allegedly negotiated and approved by Icasa and the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

 They had lodged their grievances with the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration leading up to the strike.

“It is Icasa’s intention to resolve all staff issues on an expedited basis to ensure that business is back to normal as soon as possible.

“Obviously a number of staff members have downed tools and we are currently working on skeleton staff and that has had an impact on our operations. However‚ business continues under the circumstances‚” Maleka said.