Business News of Thursday, 27 March 2003

Source: Ghanaian Times

Ghana Breweries Sued

Casual workers of the Ghana Breweries Limited have filed a writ at an Accra High Court, accusing the management of discrimination against them. The writ dated March 14 was filed by six casual workers on behalf of their colleagues.

In their statement of claim, the 160 casual workers contended that they belonged to GBL, but were denied benefits enjoyed by permanent employees of the company.

That they said was not only in breach of provisions of the labour decree, 1967 NLCD 157, but also violated their rights and freedoms as contained in Articles 16(1) 17(1) and 24 of the constitution.

Plaintiffs argued that they have remained and worked with the company under very deplorable conditions for a period of between one and ten years, but were still classified as casual workers.

As casual workers, they were denied annual leaves, medical cover, allowances of varying category, social security and provident fund scheme among others.

The plaintiffs say all attempts over the past two years to have their status regularized had proved futile.

They are therefore praying the court to have the management to regularize their status as workers/employees so that they could enjoy benefits due them.