Icasa, the communications regulator, has notified that its services will not be affected during the protected staff strike, which begins on Thursday, August 6. In response to inquiries from TechCentral, Icasa confirmed that its recognized union, Nehawu, had notified them of the intention to strike starting Thursday due to negotiations over the cost of living adjustment.
Icasa emphasized that it respects the constitutional right of workers to lawful industrial action. The organization stated that all its services 'will continue to operate in normal mode,' and no disruptions in operations or service provision are expected. It was added that measures have been taken to manage operations and services during this period.
The public statement from the body did not specify how the negotiations broke down. However, a letter to employees, signed by the CEO of Icasa and titled 'Update on Compensation Negotiations for the 2026/27 Fiscal Year,' reports that the parties failed to reach an agreement. Consequently, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration issued a certificate of non-resolution to Nehawu, which is a procedural step allowing for a protected strike.
Icasa informed employees that following this, it activated a clause in its remuneration policy that grants it the right to implement the proposed increase if consultations do not lead to an agreement. Based on this, the final offer was implemented, and employees received a 4.5% raise with the June salary payment. The letter does not specify what Nehawu was seeking.
TechCentral received a copy of the letter from a third party on Tuesday evening. Instead of publishing the document, whose authenticity could not be guaranteed, the publication sent it to Icasa and refrained from publishing until its authenticity was confirmed by the press service.
The letter mandates all employees to work at Icasa offices starting Wednesday, August 5, 'until further notice,' citing the regulator's hybrid work guidelines, which allow line managers to require presence for operational reasons. Icasa described this measure as aimed at maintaining operational oversight and managing attendance during the strike.
The 'no work, no pay' principle will apply during the strike, in accordance with the picketing rules agreed upon between Icasa and Nehawu. Attendance lists will be distributed for employees who are not participating in the strike, and staff will need to confirm their time by providing line managers with proof of daily work volume. Anyone who fails to report to the Icasa office will be considered to be participating in the strike.
Managers and non-negotiation group employees intending to join the action were asked to notify their supervisors in advance. Employees on approved leave, training, or business trips were advised to clearly inform their managers and HR department so they would not be mistakenly recorded as striking. Non-striking employees were instructed to use the underground parking, and separate attendance monitoring will be organized for regional offices.
TechCentral asked Icasa about contingency plans in place to maintain regulatory functions during the strike—specifically, whether licensing and type approval processes, spectrum work, consumer complaint handling, board meetings, and any scheduled hearings or public consultation deadlines would be affected, and whether any legislative deadlines were at risk. The body did not address these points individually, providing a general assurance that services would continue as usual.
Amazon implemented another wave of job cuts in its General Artificial Intelligence (GAI) unit this Wednesday, the 22nd. This action follows a series of staff reductions the company has been promoting since the major reorganization announced in January.
GAI refers to a theoretical model of artificial intelligence that would have the capacity to surpass human intelligence, learning, evolving, and operating in a completely autonomous manner. Large corporations in the AI sector are investing in the development of these technologies with the aim of solving high-complexity problems.
An Amazon spokesperson responded to questions from Reuters, confirming that the development of large AI models remains a central priority for the company. However, the decision was made to direct resources toward projects considered more strategic.
The spokesperson stated: 'We have been building large AI models for several years, and this continues to be one of the most important things we are working on.' He added that the focus is being refined on initiatives that bring greater value to customers, which implies 'difficult decisions, including the elimination of some positions in parts of our GAI organization.'
Amazon's GAI area has also undergone management changes in recent months. Rohit Prasad, one of the key executives responsible for GAI initiatives, left the company at the end of last year. More recently, David Luan, who led Amazon's GAI Lab, left the company in February.
In December, activities related to GAI were unified under the direction of Senior Vice President Peter DeSantis, integrating into a broader group that also includes quantum computing and chip development (silicon) areas.
Reports from employees on online forums this Wednesday indicated that employees belonging to teams supervised by Adeeb Shanaa, Vice President of Data Services for General Artificial Intelligence, and Vishal Sharma, Vice President of GAI Information, were affected by the layoffs. Despite this, the exact total number of these cuts has not yet been disclosed.
It should be noted that in January, Amazon had already conducted a significant restructuring, resulting in the elimination of 16,000 positions across various areas of the company.
