Former journalist awarded €171,000 for unjustified dismissal

Former senior journalist for Allied Newspapers, Ivan Camilleri, has been awarded €171,000 in compensation by an industrial tribunal, which ruled that his dismissal in 2019 was unjustified. The tribunal found that Allied Newspapers did not adhere to proper disciplinary procedures, breaching the collective agreement and denying Camilleri a fair opportunity to defend himself.

The tribunal attributed 25% responsibility to Camilleri for his "disrespectful attitude" towards colleagues and third parties, which had led to various charges by his employer. Despite this, the tribunal concluded that the company’s handling of his dismissal was improper.

Camilleri's dismissal stemmed from a December 19, 2019, meeting with the managing director, two board members, and the editor-in-chief. He was confronted with two serious allegations: involvement in a shoplifting incident reported by Malta Today in October 2019, and leaking information to Yorgen Fenech, who was implicated in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Camilleri denied both allegations.

After a brief deliberation, Camilleri was handed a termination letter within an hour and a half. The tribunal criticized this hasty decision, noting that Camilleri was not informed of the meeting’s agenda in advance and was denied legal assistance. The managing director’s involvement in the decision-making process further undermined Camilleri’s right to appeal, and the HR manager was notably absent from the proceedings.

Allied Newspapers defended its actions, citing the urgent need to protect its reputation and asserting that Camilleri’s dismissal was based on grave reasons. However, the tribunal determined that the company should have suspended Camilleri and conducted a thorough investigation rather than opting for immediate termination.

The tribunal acknowledged the challenging context for Allied Newspapers but emphasized that this did not excuse the failure to follow legal and procedural obligations. The company’s reliance on a journalistic source for such a critical decision was deemed inappropriate.

Despite evidence of Camilleri’s problematic behavior and attitude, the tribunal concluded that these factors did not justify the breach of due process in his dismissal. The tribunal's ruling has prompted Allied Newspapers to announce its intention to appeal the decision.

A spokesperson for Allied Newspapers stated, “Camilleri was not dismissed over a trifling incident, but over a series of actions which, in the company’s view, amounted to gross misconduct and a total breach of trust. It is only right that journalists are held to the same standards they expect of others. The company will file an appeal against the tribunal's ruling.”