Around 30 workers at the EU programmes agency are following directives ordered by their union after the government proposed a wage cut.
Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin section secretary Isabelle Farrugia said employees have been ordered not to answer telephones, e-mails or other correspondence and not to participate in activities outside their working hours.
The industrial dispute was registered after the union received a government-proposed financial package that was inferior to the one workers currently enjoyed.
Discussions were under way on a new collective agreement to replace the one that expired in 2012.
No headway was made during a meeting with the Director of Employment and Industrial Relations, forcing the union to issue directives. Ms Farrugia did not exclude more action if the matter is not resolved.