Another 36 employees have opted to be re-deployed with the government, sources close to PBS said.
The original deadline for the early retirement schemes was 23 July, however the GWU had requested an extension after the employees asked for more time to decide whether to take a retirement scheme or be re-deployed with the government.
When the early retirement schemes were originally offered shortly after the signing of the agreement, 49 employees had expressed their intention to retire.
A number of employees had not put in for early retirement since they intended to apply for the non-managerial posts at PBS.
However, most of those who were not chosen in one of the two internal calls for applications conducted have now opted for early retirement.
Of those employees who decided to take early retirement, 18 were released on 31 May, three were released on 9 July and another 26 on 16 July.
The remainder are expected to be released early this week, except for employees in the accounts department and the newsroom, sources said.
Meanwhile, the employees who asked for re-deployment are expected to be re-deployed with the government by the end of the week.
In the newsroom, people who applied for early retirement were asked not to leave “for the time being” since not all the posts of journalists/editors have been filled.
Moreover, Tony Dimech, who had been appointed journalist/editor but had then asked for early retirement, has had his application for early retirement rejected, sources said.
Another three employees who were given an appointment and then asked for early retirement also had their applications rejected.
Sources said the company was “actively” seeking to employ journalists to fill the gaps as soon as possible, with interviews now being conducted with people listed in Part 2 of the register of the unemployed.
If no suitable candidates are found then an external call for applications is expected to be issued. A total of four vacancies for journalist/editor still need to be filled.
Sources at PBS indicated that the strong representations made by the GWU in a statement last Sunday as well as the return of chief executive Andrew Psaila, who was on leave, early this week have contributed to this acceleration in the implementation of the restructuring process.
“There are concrete signs that things are going to move,” a PBS employee who has asked for early retirement told The Malta Independent on Sunday. “Whether PBS is going to function effectively with the set complement (64 employees) is another matter.”
On Friday, PBS said that chairman Michael Mallia had a “preliminary meeting” with the Ombudsman to discuss “some cases that were raised with the Ombudsman’s Office by some employees of Public Broadcasting Services Limited”.
This confirms the reports carried by The Malta Independent on Sunday over the past two weeks.
There were seven employees who had expressed their intention of taking this step, but employees who chose early retirement cannot take their case to the Ombudsman.
The agreement signed between the government and the GWU states that when opting for a retirement scheme, the employee would be making a full and final settlement and could make no further clams on the company.
In another development, a controversy erupted after rumours spread that PBS was going to re-introduce a private security firm.
Sources said a private security firm had been hired in the past but it had been replaced by PBS employees in a bid to reduce costs.
Asked about the matter, GWU’s Media and Services section secretary Karmenu Vella said it was “senseless” for PBS to hire a private security firm when it was trying to cut costs.
He said the agreement signed between the government and the GWU stipulates that if PBS wants to have security guards in the new structure, they are to be taken on from the current PBS complement.
“We are insisting that this agreement is honoured,” Mr Vella told The Malta Independent on Sunday.
Around eight employees would be affected if this measure is implemented, sources said.
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