The Retired Staff Association of the Ghana Commercial Bank has threatened to take management of the bank to the court for failing to pay them what is due them.

At a news conference in Accra, they alleged that a special scheme which was set up by the bank to reward workers who have served the company for some specific number of years had been cancelled thereby denying them their benefits.

At an emergency meeting in Accra on Wednesday, May 30, 2007, led by its Chairman, Alex Yaw Nsiah, said the membership of the association had made several petitions to management to have their benefits paid but it had failed to give them a hearing for the past seven years.

“All of us have faithfully served the bank for most part of our lives but it is so sad that management has denied us what is due us”.

The objective of the scheme, they said, was to serve as a reward for long service and devotion to duty, as incentive and security for members of staff generally and to induce members of staff to serve the bank for longer periods.

“It also seeks to maintain a competitive position with other employers when seeking reliable and efficient staff, provide employees with the satisfaction that they need in order not to have financial worries because of age and infirmity’

They contended that all these had been brushed aside by management which they consider as punishment to them”.

According to the pensioners, one of the conditions of the scheme was that at least persons who had served the bank for a minimum of 15 years also qualified to benefit.

They said that some of the workers who had even gone on voluntary retirement as well as those declared redundant had rather benefited from the scheme.

Source: The Ghanaian Times