ELIJAH TETTEVI & 14 ORS vs. NESTLE GHANA LTD [2006]DLCA6991

Date	2006-07-28
Suit No.	HI/59/05
Citation No.	[2006]DLCA6991

N.S. GBADEGBE JA [PRESIDING]

A. ASARE KORANG JA

J. OSEI JA

MR. ATTA CAESAR FOR THE DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

MR. PAUL OPOKU FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS.

[2006]DLCA6991
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ELIJAH TETTEVI &amp; 14 ORS<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">NESTLE GHANA LTD<span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT/ APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

HI/59/05&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 28TH JULY, 2006<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:
<o:p></o:p>MR. ATTA CAESAR FOR THE
DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

MR.
PAUL OPOKU FOR THE PLAINTIFFS/RESPONDENTS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

N.S.
GBADEGBE JA [PRESIDING], A. ASARE KORANG JA, J. OSEI JA<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

</div>ASARE
KORANG <o:p></o:p>This
appeal originated in the Circuit Court. The Plaintiffs/Respondents, fifteen of
them {to be called Respondents hereinafter} issued a writ of summons in the
said court against the Defendant/Appellant {Appellant for short} claiming the
following reliefs:—<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(1) "A Declaration that having regularly
and continuously worked for the defendant company for a long period spanning
from 5 to 10 years respectively (sic) without break, their status automatically
changed from casual to permanent workers. <o:p></o:p>(2)
Payment in lieu of notice upon being laid off<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(3) Adequate and reasonable severance award
upon being laid off<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(4) Payment to them in lieu of statutory
annual leave denied them<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;(5) Interest on all payments demanded as per
the above claims at the prevailing bank rate until the case is disposed of.” <o:p></o:p>As
it will become clear hereafter we do not consider it necessary to set down in
detail the pleadings or the evidence led by the parties at the trial. It is
sufficient to state that one of the respondents testified in court for himself
and on behalf of the other Respondents.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In his judgment, the learned trial judge made
the following findings at pages 54 and 56 of the record:— "I find that the
Plaintiffs worked for the defendant company regularly and continuously at least
for more than 6 months and even years without any proper lay off…………………….<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;It is therefore my view that the plaintiffs
qualified as workers under the Labour Law NLCD 157} and should have been paid
their severance awards as a result of the restructuring exercise of the
defendants."<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The trial judge then proceeded to make the
following orders:—<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;"In conclusion, I will declare that
Plaintiffs ceased to be casuals after regularly and continuously working for
the defendant for periods spanning from 1988 to 2001 without any proper lay off
and as a result, I declare them entitled to receiving (sic) their severance
award in the same manner as their so-called permanent workers will be entitled
to.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;Defendant is also ordered to calculate payment
in lieu of notice upon being laid off in the same manner as the Collective
Agreement stipulates.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;As directed earlier, defendant must also pay
to Plaintiffs moneys due to them in lieu of statutory annual leave calculable
from 1988 to 2001 when laid off; the period depending on when each Plaintiff
was employed. <o:p></o:p>Defendant is also ordered to pay
interest on the annual leave allowance calculable from each year that defendant
should have paid until 2001 when plaintiffs were laid off at the prevailing
bank rate." <o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>It
is to be noted that the trial judge did not himself declare that such and such
certain and specific sums of money were payable to the Respondents in the
nature of severance awards</main>