Icasa wage talks sputter

Pay talks between the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) and the Communication Workers' Union (CWU) have deadlocked, the union says.

"This was the fourth round of negotiations which came with no better results as arrogant management stood by their peanuts offer on salary increases and refused to improve any other benefits," CWU spokesman Matankana Mothapo said in a statement.

He said Icasa had failed to meet the union's demand of an 11-percent pay rise and that the union had no choice but to declare a deadlock.

The union wanted the increases to be backdated to July 1.

"CWU is prepared to take this arrogant management head on, by mobilising our workers to meet the Icasa leadership on the street," he said.

The union had also demanded a housing allowance of R1500 for all workers, shut-down leave, a moratorium on retrenchments and a cellphone allowance of R1250.

However, management had either insisted on the status quo remaining or said it could not commit, said Mothapo.

He said the CWU was committed to exposing what he described as corruption, abuse of power by certain managers and a lack of leadership.

The union also claimed that a manager had physically assaulted two workers.

"This shows how a person in high office can abuse his power and still continue working without taken to a disciplinary hearing," said Mothapo.

Icasa could not be immediately reached for comment.