CHRISTIANA DANKWA AND GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS GROUP LIMITED [2010]DLCHRAJ5988

Date	2010-03-24
Suit No.	Our Ref: CHRAJ/438/2006/418
Citation No.	[2010]DLCHRAJ5988

JOSEPH WHÍTTAL

[2010]DLCHRAJ5988
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><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:#00B050">CHRISTIANA DANKWA<o:p></o:p>(COMPLAINANT)<o:p></o:p>AND<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:#00B050">GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS GROUP LIMITED<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>(CHRAJ)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:
none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:4.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Our Ref: CHRAJ/438/2006/418&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;24-3-2010<o:p></o:p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:center;
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padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">DECISION<o:p></o:p>

</div>INTRODUCTION<o:p></o:p>The Complainant lodged a complaint against the Respondent alleging
that she was under-paid her terminal benefits, hence her complaint for redress.<o:p></o:p>COMPLAINANT'S CASE <o:p></o:p>The Complainant was employed by the Respondent as a junior staff
on 16th August 1977 and was subsequently attached to the Commercial Printing
(Chambon) Unit of the establishment.<o:p></o:p>The Complainant stated that on 5th September 2006, she was retired
on medical grounds and was paid an amount of sixty seven million, six hundred
and eighty one thousand, three hundred and fifty cedis (#67,681,350.00) old
cedis. She claimed that the said amount was less than what was actually due her
because she had worked with the Respondent for 29 years. She therefore
petitioned the Commission for redress.<o:p></o:p>THE
RESPONDENT'S REACTION<o:p></o:p>The Respondent stated that the Complainant was employed on 16th
August 1977 as a Packer in the Commercial Printing Division and rose through
the ranks to the position of Chief Factory Assistant. According to the
Respondent there was a restructuring exercise in the company. Instead of the
Respondent laying the Complainant off, she was redesignated but not promoted in
absentia to the position of Principal Receptionist, in view of her salary
level.<o:p></o:p>The Respondent stated that the
Complainant did not have any good records on her file - irregular pattern of
absenteeism and bad time keeping for which she received queries and was
verbally reprimanded.<o:p></o:p>The Respondent also said that
the Complainant was diagnosed with severe hypertension. This sickness had taken
the Complainant away from work for two years.<o:p></o:p>The Respondent further indicated that it made satisfactory
arrangement at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to treat the Complainant, but she
refused to avail herself. In the light of this, the Respondent had no option
than to terminate the Complainant's appointment on health grounds but with full
retirement benefits based on Section 35 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.<o:p></o:p>Section 35 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement states as
follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.35in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">"RETIREMENT/DEATH BENEFIT<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.35in;text-align:justify;text-indent:.7pt;mso-pagination:none;
border:none;mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">In the event of compulsory
retirement, death or retirement on medical grounds as certified by a medical
practitioner of the company's choice, eligible employees or their next of kin
shall be paid as follows:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:53.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">10-20 years of continued
service - 1 year's basic salary. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:53.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">Over 20 years of continued
service - 1.5 years' basic salary."<o:p></o:p>