Ex-workers of defunct UT and Capital Banks are scheduled to have a meeting with the management of GCB Bank over the termination of their contracts.
Overall, 56 ex-staff of the banks were affected after the GCB Bank said they did not possess the minimum qualification required to work with the bank.
Although the workers have threatened to petition President Akufo-Addo and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), spokesperson for the ex-staff, Raymond Addai Danquah said the outcome of the meeting will ultimately inform their next move.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News, Mr. Danquah said the termination of their contracts was unlawful adding that the affected staff went home without any concrete reasons.
The spokesperson for the group subsequently called on the management of the GCB to as a matter of urgency compensate and also re-instate all affected
“First of all, we need to have mediation with GCB. So after the mediation with management, we will know our next line of action because it could be that at the meeting, issues will trashed out. So for us we just want to give them the benefit of the doubt and wait for them to communicate when the meeting is done. When that is done, we will know the next line of action.”
“Now there is nothing like a termination of a contract without a reason and even when you go to the labour law you can’t terminate the appointment of an employee who has been confirmed without a reason and for us. It is an unlawful termination and so far as we are in country that is governed by rules and regulations. GCB should do the needful. They should compensate the people and re-instate them.”
GCB workers sacked for failing WASSCE
Last month, it was widely reported in the media that some affected workers have been sacked from the bank because they failed to meet the academic requirements for the WASSCE/SSCE
The sacking comes about two years after the Ghana Commercial Bank took over UT and Capital banks.
GCB was authorized to take over the two banks because according to the Central Bank, they had “severe impairment of their capital.”
A copy of their termination letter sighted by Citi Business News and signed by GCB’s Head of Human Resources, Kojo Essel Jnr, said “You will be paid an equivalent of one (1) month’s basic salary in lieu of notice in line with section 29(a) of our collective agreement and other benefits you may be entitled to per your contract of employment, less any indebtedness to the bank”.
The termination letter also added that “You are to hand over any company property that may be in your possession including but not limited to documents, manuals, Computer/laptop, mobile phone, ID Card, Name tag, electronic access card and keys to your line manager/supervisor before your final departure.”
An ex-worker who received one of the letters, but asked not to be named, further called for the affected workers to be reinstated.
“We need them to reinstate us because it’s no fault of ours. If someone has C or D or E or F…and we’ve all been able to move on to do our undergraduate, some people even have Masters qualification and yet still their appointments have been terminated, based on the reason that they didn’t pass their Maths and English in the WASSCE or SSSCE. It is going to affect my livelihood, definitely. There will be no funds coming in and my mum depends on me, my parents depend on me,” he lamented.
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By: Jude Mensa Duncan | citinewsroom.com | Ghana | [email protected]
