PBS CEO Anton Attard has refused to comment on claims of salary discrimination, which has resulted in seven Public Broadcasting Services journalists filing an application before the Industrial Tribunal.

“Since according to the article, the issue has been referred to the industrial tribunal, it is not ethical to comment any further,” he said.

The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that the case, which was filed on Friday, claims the last PBS journalist employed on a full-time basis this year, has been given a basic salary significantly higher than those of all other journalists – many of whom have been employed in the national broadcaster’s newsroom for a number of years.

The journalists who had filed the tribunal application claimed that a certain Rachel Baldacchino was hired by PBS after an internal call was issued last January for a full-time ‘Administrative Officer/Web’ with a matching basic salary, which is higher than those of the journalists. Ms Baldacchino had previously been on a contract of service with PBS, and was hired on a full-time basis after answering a PBS internal call for administrative officers.

They also said, however, that in reality she is not fulfilling the duties of a higher-paid administrative officer but that she is, rather, working as a web journalist – performing exactly the same work they do: reporting, covering press conferences, travelling abroad as part of press delegations and holding a Department of Information press card. As such, they believe management was obliged to raise all their salaries to match hers since they performed the same job.

A number of questions, aside from a request for a reaction, were sent to the PBS CEO. He was asked to give a reason as to why this person was hired at a higher scale if she performed the same work as other journalists. He was also asked whether PBS will continue to try and find a compromise.

This newsroom also contacted PBS Head of News Reno Bugeja, who said that he has nothing to do with salaries and said that he handled editorial issues. He suggested we contact Anton Attard.

Seven journalists file case before industrial tribunal