Bonnici refuses to weigh in on PBS wage discrimination claims

Justice minister Owen Bonnici has refused to weigh in on an internal dispute at PBS, arguing that his role in the national broadcaster is limited to policy-making.

“I don’t want to prejudice the talks, but I hope a decision can be reached out of court,” Bonnici told the press. “If not, then PBS staff must bow their heads to the Industrial Tribunal’s decision.

Bonnici said that he was informed about the dispute before the story made the news, but that he doesn’t want to interfere in the state broadcaster’s internal management.  

Seven Public Broadcasting Journalists on Friday filed a court application before the Industrial Tribunal, claiming wage discrimination.

The case revolves around Rachel Baldacchino, who was hired as a ‘web administrative officer’ in January following an internal call for applications. As an administrative officer, her annual wage is higher than that of her journalist colleagues.

However, the seven journalists – Ruth Castillo, Fiorella Pace, Keith Demicoli, David Bonello, Sandro Micallef, Antonia Micallef and Nigel Mifsud – claim that Baldaccino is not working as an administrative officer but as a web journalist.

They are arguing that her work includes reporting, covering press conferences and travelling abroad as part of press delegations – essentially the same work as that of other PBS journalists but on a higher salary.

In their court complaint, the journalists argue that PBS is now obliged to raise all their salaries to match Baldaccino’s.