OPARE YEBOAH AND 7 OTHERS vs. BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA LTD. [2018]DLCA5340

Date	2018-10-18
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. H1/70/2018
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA5340

E. K. AYEBI JA (PRESIDING)

DENNIS ADJEI JA

S. G. SUURBAAREH JA

MR. THOMAS WARD-BREW FOR PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS

MR. CHARLES HAYIBOR FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT

[2018]DLCA5340
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >OPARE YEBOAH AND 7 OTHERS<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BARCLAYS BANK OF GHANA LTD.<o:p></o:p>(DEFT/RESPONDENT)<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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CIVIL
APPEAL NO. H1/70/2018&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; THURSDAY,
18TH OCTOBER 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>MR. THOMAS WARD-BREW FOR
PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:.5in;mso-add-space:auto;
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mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">MR.
CHARLES HAYIBOR FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p>E. K.
AYEBI JA (PRESIDING), DENNIS ADJEI JA, S. G. SUURBAAREH JA<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="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
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</div>AYEBI,
JA<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
remote cause of this suit can be traced to the events of 14th
November, 2007. The plaintiffs/appellants (hereinafter called plaintiffs) were
local union executives of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union of the
staff of the defendant/respondent (hereinafter called defendant). On 14th
November 2017, the plaintiffs/appellants were alleged to have declared,
instigated, incited, led or supported others to embark on an illegal strike in
contravention of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) and the Collective Bargaining
Agreement (CBA) between the defendant and its employees. For the alleged
contravention, the defendant on 11th January 2008, served each of
the plaintiffs notice of its intention to dismiss them. Accordingly, pursuant
to Article 17 of the CBA, the defendant summarily dismissed each of the
plaintiffs on 26th February, 2008.<o:p></o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The
plaintiffs denied the charges leveled against them by the defendant. It was the
case of the plaintiffs that their dismissal was a victimization for giving
support and or participating in a suit against the defendant at the High Court.
Therefore in Suit No. 36/2008, the plaintiffs led by their mother union, the
Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) sued the defendant for:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:99.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-27.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration that on a true and
proper interpretation of Articles 15 and 17 of the Collective Bargaining
Agreement between 9th plaintiff union and the defendant bank, the
letters issued to 1st to 8th plaintiffs on 11th
January 2008 dated the same date, by the defendant bank purportedly under
Article 17 of the CBA purportedly summarily dismissing 1st to 8th
plaintiffs from their employment with defendant bank are illegal as being in
contravention of the said Articles 15 and 17 of the CBA and the Labour Act,
2003 (Act 651) and are null and void and consequently an order quashing the
said letters.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:99.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-27.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">(b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration that defendant’s
action is arbitrary, capricious and a victimization of the 1st to 8th
plaintiffs as trade union leaders and further that the defendant’s conduct is
unconstitutional and illegal as being in contravention of Articles 23 and
section 63 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:99.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-27.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Damages for breach of provisions of
the Collective Bargaining Agreement.<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;margin-left:99.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;
text-indent:-27.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">(d)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A perpetual injunction restraining
the defendant bank from carrying out any acts of victimization of the 1st
to 8th plaintiffs</main>