GWU suspends industrial action at PBS

The General Workers Union yesterday suspended the industrial action it had ordered at Public Broadcasting Services, the state TV and radio station, after the PBS management presented the union with a new organisational structure.

Lightning strikes were ordered by the GWU, which is in dispute with the government over the restructuring of the company and a new collective agreement, which expired three years ago.

In a statement, the union said the new organisational structure highlighted in detail the plans on how the government was proposing PBS should be run and operated in future.

The union has been presented with the staff complement to fit the organisational structure as well as job descriptions for all the non-managerial posts.

Karmenu Vella, secretary of the GWU's services and media section, pointed out that from the government proposals, PBS would be constrained to radically cut the services it was currently providing and totally change its mission as a public broadcaster.

"In the coming days, the GWU will be asking the government to explain how it reached certain conclusions that, in our opinion, are based on a mistaken premiss that will neither put PBS on a sustainable foundation, nor enable it to operate in a more professional and viable manner".

Mr Vella said it was clear the government wanted to rationalise PBS and cut the number of employees drastically.

Early this week, the union will be asking for a meeting to discuss the government plan and the union's proposals. The GWU will also be calling a meeting for its members to explain developments.