NATIONAL LABOUR COMMISSION vs. PIPES & PLASTICS PRODUCTS LTD. [2013]DLCA5481

Date	2013-05-30
Suit No.	SUIT NO.: H1/82/2012
Citation No.	[2013]DLCA5481

OWUSU M. J.A. (PRESIDING)

OFOE V. J.A.

SOWAH C. J.A.

MR. OPOKU BOATENG FOR RESPONDENT/APPELLANT

MR. OSCAR ASANTE-NNURO FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

[2013]DLCA5481
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NATIONAL LABOUR COMMISSION<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>PIPES &amp; PLASTICS PRODUCTS LTD.<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/APPELLANT)<o:p></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;
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SUIT NO.: H1/82/2012&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;MAY 30, 2013<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR.
OPOKU BOATENG FOR RESPONDENT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>OWUSU
M. J.A. (PRESIDING), OFOE V. J.A., SOWAH C. J.A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;tab-stops:63.75pt center 3.25in;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:
0in;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0in 1.0pt 0in">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>MARIAMA
OWUSU, J.A:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>On
10-11-2008, the National Labour Commission upheld the petitioners petition and
ordered the respondent to compute the end of service benefit of the
Petitioners, taking into account their date of engagement, inclusive of the
period of probation, and forward the computation to the Commission within
fourteen (14) days from the date of receipt of the decision for further
directives. The respondent was further directed to add to the Petitioners’
terminal benefits, the sum of money representing leave earned by the
Petitioners.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>Dissatisfied
with the decision of the Commission, the respondent appealed to this court on
the following grounds;<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Labour Commission misdirected itself on
the interpretation put on Article 44 of the Appellant Company’s Collective
Bargaining Agreement.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Commission erred in holding that the
length of service of a worker includes the probation.<o:p></o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Commission erred in directing the
Appellant to add to the Petitioners terminal benefits the sum of money
representing outstanding leave earned.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The
relief sought from the Court of Appeal is to overturn the decision of the
Labour Commission.<o:p></o:p>Before
dealing with arguments canvassed in support and against this appeal, I will
give a brief background of this case.<o:p></o:p>The
Petitioners, Stephen Gyamfi, Thomas Nsor and Felix Sakyi were former employees
of the respondent company. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd
Petitioners were employed sometime in 2000, 2001 and 2002 respectively. It was
not until 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively that their respective appointments
were confirmed. The Petitioners resigned from the respondent’s company sometime
in 2008. When their end of service benefits were computed for payment it
excluded their probation period and the sum of money representing outstanding
leave they have earned. The Petitioners therefore complained to the National
Labour Commission for redress. After going into the matter, and examining the
respondent’s Collective Agreement, the Commission ruled in favour of the
Petitioners and ordered respondent/appellant to compute the end of service
benefit of the Petitioners taking into account the date of engagement,
inclusive of the probation period. The Commission further ordered the
respondent/appellant to add to the terminal benefits the sum of money
representing outstanding leave earned by the Petitioners. Aggrieved with the
decision of the Labour Commission, the appellant appealed to this Court. <o:p></o:p>