Another Plot to dupe GTP workers

THERE are underhand moves to deprive 160 workers of Ghana Textiles Printing Company Ltd (GTP) who were declared surplus 18 years ago, of their End of Service Benefits, The SUN has learnt.

The SUN investigations into the stand-off between the workers who were directed to proceed on compulsory leave somewhere in 1989 have indicated that, there is an attempt to block them from earning their ESB.

Following the non-payment of their ESB, the affected workers dragged the Company to a Tema High Court in 1993 to ensure that, the company respects its Collective Agreement with them. Having spent over 14 years in Court without a glimmer of hope, Tema High Court only last year directed GTP to resolve the differences with the workers, and pay them their appropriate emoluments.

However the The SUN has gathered that GTP has turned down the proposal submitted by the workers. The paper gathered that the GTP is quoting between ¢200,000 to ¢4 million as the benefit for the workers in several cases.

When The SUN reached Mr. Amoako Atta the Legal Affairs director of GTP for his reaction, he debunked claims that payment of the workers’ ESB ranged from ¢200,000 to ¢4 million.

“By the way we still believe that we are not liable for the payment of any End of Service Benefit to the 160 workers. However to show how responsible the company is, we have agreed to pay them but that does not mean that we should accept whatever proposals they would submit,” he told The Sun on Thursday morning.

He refused to disclose the exact figure GTP was quoting as the End of Service Benefits for the workers and referred the paper to the workers’ lawyers, adding that he would be the best person to give the figures his Company has submitted. When The Sun contacted Mr. G. Orleans Lindsay Jnr, who represents the workers he directed the paper to stay away from his cause. Both lawyers would not agree that there is a plot to deprive the workers of their rightful End of Service Benefits.

It would be recalled that The Sun investigations revealed that somewhere in 1989, the management of GTP declared 239 of its staff workers surplus. According to the management, the labour force exceeded the vacancies and therefore directed these workers to go home without paying them their end of service gratuity.

The workers, The Sun learnt, were made to believe that they would be called back or reinstated whenever there would be vacancies.

However 17 years after they were declared surplus, only a few of their number were reinstated, leaving the 160 who have tried in vain to obtain what should be due them as of right.

The paper gathered that despite the assurances by the GTP management to re-engage affected staff, the company reneged on its own promise when it started recruiting people from outside to fill the same positions these workers could have filled.

This development, The Sun gathered, did not go down well with the affected workers who in 1993, filed a writ at the Tema High Court to seek redress. However, 13 years down the line, The Sun has learnt that the Court is yet to hear the writ of the workers who always troop to Tema with the hope of meeting their expectations.

The paper gathered that as at the time when the workers were declared surplus, some of them had worked with GTP from between 15 and 25 years.

In a letter sighted by The Sun dated May 8, 1989, and signed by Brig. A. N. Tehn-Addy (Rtd), then Acting Chief Executive of the GTP and copied to the Financial Controller of the Company, it stated “We regret to inform you that as a result of the current exercises going on within the company, you have been declared surplus to our establishment and therefore, your services will no longer be required with effect from September, 1988.”

“You will be paid 50% of your service gratuity up to September 1988 and the balance will be paid in due course.” The letter stated.

You may please leave your address at the personnel office so that should there be any vacancy in the future for which you are considered suitable, your case could receive the special attention of the management that it deserves,” stated the then Acting Chief Executive.

The Sun sources within the officials of the company said that in 2003, the management agreed to pay ¢800,000 to each of the affected workers but the meagre amount was turned down and described as an insult to the workers who had toiled all these years for the company.- By Dominic Jale&David Amponsah Boakye,