EXHIBIT 10.8



                                                                    Exhibit 10.8

                               GASTON FEDERAL BANK
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     This Agreement is made effective as of January 1, 2002 by and between
Gaston Federal Bank (the "Bank"), a federally-chartered stock savings bank, with
its principal executive office at 245 West Main Avenue, P.O. Box 2249, Gastonia,
North Carolina 28053-2249 and Ronald E. Bostian (the "Executive"). Any reference
to "Company" herein shall mean Gaston Federal Bancorp, Inc., the stock holding
company parent of the Bank or any successor thereto.

     WHEREAS, the Bank wishes to assure itself of the continued services of
Executive for the period provided in this Agreement; and

     WHEREAS, Executive is willing to continue to serve in the employ of the
Bank on a full-time basis for said period.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained,
and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the parties hereby
agree as follows:

1.   POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

     During the period of his employment hereunder, Executive agrees to serve as
Executive Vice President of the Bank (the "Executive Position"). At the Merger
Effective Date the Executive shall be appointed to the Board of Directors of the
Company and the Bank, and During said period, Executive also agrees to continue
to serve, if elected, as a director of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Bank.
Failure to reelect Executive to the Executive Position without the consent of
the Executive during the term of this Agreement shall constitute a breach of
this Agreement.

2.   TERMS AND DUTIES

     (a)  The period of Executive's employment under this Agreement shall begin
as of the date first above written and shall continue for a period of
twenty-four (24) full calendar months thereafter. Within thirty days prior to
the first anniversary date of this Agreement, the Board of Directors of the Bank
("Board") will conduct a performance evaluation and review of the Executive,
provided, however, that based on this review, the Board shall be permitted to
terminate Executive's employment only in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.

     (b)  During the period of his employment hereunder, except for periods of
absence occasioned by illness, reasonable vacation periods, and reasonable
leaves of absence, Executive shall devote substantially all his business time,
attention, skill, and efforts to the faithful performance of his duties
hereunder including activities and services related to the organization,
operation and management of the Bank; provided, however, that, with the approval
of the Board, as evidenced by a resolution of such Board, from time to time,
Executive may serve, or continue to serve, on the boards of directors of, and
hold any other offices or positions in, business companies or business



organizations, which, in such Board's judgment, will not present any
conflict of interest with the Bank, or materially affect the
performance of Executive's duties pursuant to this Agreement (it being
understood that membership in social, religious, charitable or similar
organizations does not require Board approval pursuant to this Section 2(b)).

3.   COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT

     (a)  The compensation specified under this Agreement shall constitute the
salary and benefits paid for the duties described in Section 2(b). The Bank
shall pay Executive as compensation a salary of $150,000 per year ("Base
Salary"). Such Base Salary shall be payable semi-monthly. In addition to the
Base Salary provided in this Section 3(a), the Bank shall provide Executive at
no cost to Executive with all such other benefits as are provided uniformly to
permanent full-time employees of the Bank.

     (b)  In addition to the Base Salary provided for by paragraph (a) of this
Section 3, the Bank shall pay any dues associated with the Executives
involvement with civic clubs and his membership dues in the Country Club of
Salisbury and shall provide an automobile allowance (not to exceed $750 per
month) for the Executive, and, pay or reimburse Executive for all reasonable
travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by Executive performing his
obligations under this Agreement and may provide such additional compensation in
such form and such amounts as the Board may from time to time determine.

4.   PAYMENTS TO EXECUTIVE UPON AN EVENT OF TERMINATION

     The provisions of this Section shall in all respects be subject to the
terms and conditions stated in Sections 7 and 14.

     (a)  The provisions of this Section shall apply upon the occurrence of an
Event of Termination (as herein defined) during the Executive's term of
employment under this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, an "Event of
Termination" shall mean and include any one or more of the following:

     (i)  the termination by the Bank or the Company of Executive's full-time
employment hereunder for any reason other than (A) Disability, as defined in
Section 5 below, or (B) Termination for Cause as defined in Section 6 hereof; or

     (ii) Executive's resignation from the Bank's employ, upon any

          (A) failure to elect or reelect or to appoint or reappoint Executive
          to the Executive Position,

          (B) a relocation of Executive's principal place of employment by more
          than 50 miles from its location at the effective date of this
          Agreement,

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          (C) liquidation or dissolution of the Bank or Company, other than
          liquidations or dissolutions that are caused by reorganizations that
          do not affect the status of Executive (including any mutual to stock
          conversion of Gaston Federal Holdings, MHC); or

          (D) breach of this Agreement by the Bank, if not corrected within
          thirty (30) days after notification of such breach is provided to the
          Bank by the Executive.

     (b)  Upon the occurrence of an Event of Termination, on the Date of
Termination, as defined in Section 7, the Bank shall pay Executive, or, in the
event of his subsequent death, his beneficiary or beneficiaries, or his estate,
as the case may be, as severance pay or liquidated damages, or both, a lump sum
cash payment equal to the pro-rated Base Salary for the remaining term of the
Agreement; provided however, that if the Bank is not in compliance with its
minimum capital requirements or if such payments would cause the Bank's capital
to be reduced below its minimum capital requirements, such payments shall be
deferred until such time as the Bank is in capital compliance. Such payments
shall not be reduced in the event the Executive obtains other employment
following termination of employment.

     (c)  Upon the occurrence of an Event of Termination, the Bank will cause to
be continued life, medical, and dental coverage substantially identical to the
coverage maintained by the Bank for Executive prior to his termination for the
remaining term of the Agreement. Such coverage shall cease upon the expiration
of the remaining term of this Agreement.

     (d)  Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs of this Section 4, in the
event that:

          (i)  the aggregate payments or benefits to be made or afforded to
               Executive under said paragraphs (the "Termination Benefits")
               would be deemed to include an "excess parachute payment" under
               Section 280G of the Code or any successor thereto, and

          (ii) if such Termination Benefits were reduced to an amount (the
               "Non-Triggering Amount"), the value of which is one dollar
               ($1.00) less than an amount equal to the total amount of payments
               permissible under Section 280G of the Code or any successor
               thereto.

          then the Termination Benefits to be paid to Executive shall be so
          reduced so as to be a Non-Triggering Amount.

5.   TERMINATION UPON DISABILITY

     In the event Executive is unable to perform his duties under this Agreement
on a full-time basis for a period of six (6) consecutive months by reason of
illness or other physical or mental disability, the Employer may terminate this
Agreement, provided that the Employer shall continue to be obligated to pay the
Executive his Base Salary for the remaining term of the Agreement,

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provided that any amounts actually paid to Executive pursuant to any disability
insurance or other similar such program which the Employer has provided or may
provide on behalf of its employees or pursuant to any workman's compensation or
Social Security disability program shall reduce the compensation to be paid to
the Executive pursuant to this paragraph.

6.   TERMINATION FOR CAUSE

     The term "Termination for Cause" shall mean termination because of the
Executive's personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful misconduct, any breach of
fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional failure to perform stated
duties, willful violation of any law, rule, or regulation (other than traffic
violations or similar offenses) or final cease-and-desist order, or material
breach of any provision of this Agreement. In determining incompetence, the acts
or omissions shall be measured against standards generally prevailing in the
savings institutions industry. For purposes of this paragraph, no act or failure
to act on the part of Executive shall be considered "willful" unless done, or
omitted to be done, by the Executive not in good faith and without reasonable
belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interest of the
Bank. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive shall not be deemed to have been
Terminated for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to him a
copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than
three-fourths of the members of the Board at a meeting of the Board called and
held for that purpose (after reasonable notice to Executive and an opportunity
for him, together with counsel, to be heard before the Board), finding that in
the good faith opinion of the Board, Executive was guilty of conduct justifying
Termination for Cause and specifying the particulars thereof in detail. The
Executive shall not have the right to receive compensation or other benefits for
any period after Termination for Cause. Any stock options granted to Executive
under any stock option plan of the Bank, the Company or any subsidiary or
affiliate thereof, shall become null and void effective upon Executive's receipt
of Notice of Termination for Cause pursuant to Section 7 hereof, and shall not
be exercisable by Executive at any time subsequent to such Termination for
Cause.

7.   NOTICE

     (a)  Any purported termination by the Bank or by Executive shall be
communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For purposes of
this Agreement, a "Notice of Termination" shall mean a written notice which
shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon
and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of Executive's employment under the provision so
indicated.

     (b)  "Date of Termination" shall mean (A) if Executive's employment is
terminated for Disability, thirty (30) days after a Notice of Termination is
given (provided that he shall not have returned to the performance of his duties
on a full-time basis during such thirty (30) day period), and (B) if his
employment is terminated for Cause, the Date of Termination shall be immediate
upon receipt of the notice, and (C) if his employment is terminated for any
other reason, the date specified in the Notice of Termination (which shall not
be less than thirty (30) days from the date such Notice of Termination is
given).

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     (c)  Within thirty (30) days after any Notice of Termination is given, the
party receiving such Notice of Termination may notify the other party in writing
that a dispute exists concerning the termination. In the event that Executive is
terminated for cause and such Termination for Cause is found to have been
wrongful or such dispute (notification of which is made in accordance with this
Sub-section 7(c)) is otherwise decided in Executive's favor, the Executive shall
be entitled to receive all compensation and benefits which accrued for up to a
period of nine months after termination employment. If such dispute is not
resolved within such nine-month period, the Bank shall not be obligated, upon
final resolution of such dispute, to pay Executive compensation and other
payments accruing more than nine months from the Date of the Termination
specified in the Notice of Termination. Amounts paid under this Section are in
addition to all other amounts due under this Agreement and shall not be offset
against or reduce any other amounts due under this Agreement.

8.   POST-TERMINATION OBLIGATIONS

     (a)  All payments and benefits to Executive under this Agreement shall be
subject to Executive's compliance with paragraph (b) of this Section 8 during
the term of this Agreement and for one (1) full year after the expiration or
termination hereof.

     (b)  Executive shall, upon reasonable notice, furnish such information and
assistance to the Bank as may reasonably be required by the Bank in connection
with any litigation in which it or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates is, or
may become, a party.

9.   NON-COMPETITION

     (a)  Upon any termination of Executive's employment hereunder as a result
of which the Association is paying Executive benefits under Section 4 of this
Agreement, Executive agrees not to compete with the Bank and/or the Company for
a period of one (1) year following such termination in any city, town or county
in which the Bank and/or the Company has an office or has filed an application
for regulatory approval to establish an office, determined as of the effective
date of such termination, except as agreed to pursuant to a resolution duly
adopted by the Board. Executive agrees that during such period and within said
cities, towns and counties, Executive shall not work for or advise, consult or
otherwise serve with, directly or indirectly, any entity whose business
materially competes with the depository, lending or other business activities of
the Bank and/or the Company. The parties hereto, recognizing that irreparable
injury will result to the Bank and/or the Company, its business and property in
the event of Executive's breach of this Subsection 9(a) agree that in the event
of any such breach by Executive, the Bank and/or the Company will be entitled,
in addition to any other remedies and damages available, to an injunction to
restrain the violation hereof by Executive, Executive's partners, agents,
servants, employers, employees and all persons acting for or with Executive.
Executive represents and admits that Executive's experience and capabilities are
such that Executive can obtain employment in a business engaged in other lines
and/or of a different nature than the Bank and/or the Company, and that the
enforcement of a remedy by way of injunction will not prevent Executive from
earning a livelihood. Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Bank
and/or the Company from pursuing any other remedies available to the Bank and/or
the Company for such breach or threatened breach, including the recovery of

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damages from Executive. This paragraph (a) shall not apply if an termination of
Executive's employment occurs in connection with a change in control of the
Bank, within the meaning of the Home Owners' Loan Act and the Rules and
Regulations promulgated by the Office of Thrift Supervision (or its predecessor
agency) thereunder.

     (b)  Executive recognizes and acknowledges that the knowledge of the
business activities and plans for business activities of the Bank and affiliates
thereof, as it may exist from time to time, is a valuable, special and unique
asset of the business of the Bank. Executive will not, during or after the term
of his employment, disclose any knowledge of the past, present, planned or
considered business activities of the Bank or affiliates thereof to any person,
firm, corporation, or other entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever (except
for such disclosure as may be required to be provided to the Office of Thrift
Supervision (the "OTS"), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC"),
or other federal or state banking agency with jurisdiction over the Bank or
Executive). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may disclose any knowledge
of banking, financial and/or economic principles, concepts or ideas which are
not solely and exclusively derived from the business plans and activities of the
Bank, and Executive may disclose any information regarding the Bank or the
Company which is otherwise publicly available. In the event of a breach or
threatened breach by the Executive of the Provisions of this Section 9, the Bank
will be entitled to an injunction restraining Executive from disclosing, in
whole or in part, the knowledge of the past, present, planned or considered
business activities of the Bank or affiliates thereof, or from rendering any
services to any person, firm, corporation, other entity to whom such knowledge,
in whole or in part, has been disclosed or is threatened to be disclosed.
Nothing herein will be construed as prohibiting the Bank from pursuing any other
remedies available to the Bank for such breach or threatened breach, including
the recovery of damages from Executive.

10.  SOURCE OF PAYMENTS

     All payments provided in this Agreement shall be timely paid by direct
electronic deposit or in cash or check from the general funds of the Bank. The
Company, however, guarantees payment and provision of all amounts and benefits
due hereunder to Executive and, if such amounts and benefits due from the Bank
are not timely paid or provided by the Bank, such amounts and benefits shall be
paid or provided by the Company.

11.  EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFITS PLANS

     This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto
and supersedes any prior employment agreement between the Bank or any
predecessor of the Bank and Executive, except that this Agreement shall not
affect or operate to reduce any benefit or compensation inuring to the Executive
of a kind elsewhere provided. No provision of this Agreement shall be
interpreted to mean that Executive is subject to receiving fewer benefits than
those available to him without reference to this Agreement.

12.  NO ATTACHMENT

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     (a)  Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this
Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale,
assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution,
attachment, levy, or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any
attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect any such action shall be null,
void, and of no effect.

     (b)  This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of,
Executive and the Bank and their respective successors and assigns.

13.  MODIFICATION AND WAIVER

     (a)  This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an instrument
in writing signed by the parties hereto.

     (b)  No term or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
waived, nor shall there be any estoppel against the enforcement of any provision
of this Agreement, except by written instrument of the party charged with such
waiver or estoppel. No such written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver
unless specifically stated therein, and each such waiver shall operate only as
to the specific term or condition waived and shall not constitute a waiver of
such term or condition for the future as to any act other than that specifically
waived.

14.  REQUIRED PROVISIONS

     (a)  The Bank's Board of Directors may terminate the Executive's employment
at any time, but any termination by the Bank's Board of Directors, other than
Termination for Cause, shall not prejudice Executive's right to compensation or
other benefits under this Agreement. Executive shall not have the right to
receive compensation or other benefits for any period after Termination for
Cause as defined in Section 7 herein above.

     (b)  If the Executive is suspended from office and/or temporarily
prohibited from participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs by a notice
served under Section 8(e)(3) (12 U.S.C. (S)(S) 1818(e)(3)) or 8(g) (12 U.S.C.
(S) 1818(g)) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended by the Financial
Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, the Bank's
obligations under this contract shall be suspended as of the date of service,
unless stayed by appropriate proceedings. If the charges in the notice are
dismissed, the Bank may in its discretion (i) pay the Executive all or part of
the compensation withheld while their contract obligations were suspended and
(ii) reinstate (in whole or in part) any of the obligations which were
suspended.

     (c)  If the Executive is removed and/or permanently prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs by an order issued under
Section 8(e) (12 U.S.C. (S)(S) 1818(e)) or 8(g) (12 U.S.C. (S) 1818(g)) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended by the Financial Institutions Reform,
Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, all obligations of the Bank under this
contract shall terminate as of the effective date of the order, but vested
rights of the contracting parties shall not be affected.

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     (d)  If the Bank is in default as defined in Section 3(x) (12 U.S.C. (S)
1813(x)(1)) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended by the Financial
Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, all obligations of
the Bank under this contract shall terminate as of the date of default, but this
paragraph shall not affect any vested rights of the contracting parties.

     (e)  All obligations of the Bank under this contract shall be terminated,
except to the extent determined that continuation of the contract is necessary
for the continued operation of the institution, (i) by the Director, at the time
FDIC or the Resolution Trust Corporation enters into an agreement to provide
assistance to or on behalf of the Bank; or (ii) by the OTS at the time the OTS
or its District Director approves a supervisory merger to resolve problems
related to the operations of the Bank or when the Bank is determined by the OTS
or FDIC to be in an unsafe or unsound condition. Any rights of the parties that
have already vested, however, shall not be affected by such action.

     (f)  Any payments made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement, or
otherwise, are subject to and conditioned upon their compliance with 12 USC
Section 1828(k) and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

15.  SEVERABILITY

     If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any
provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision
of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so invalid, and each
such other provision and part thereof shall to the full extent consistent with
law continue in full force and effect.

16.  HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY

     The headings of sections and paragraphs herein are included solely for
convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of
any of the provisions of this Agreement.

17.  GOVERNING LAW

     This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina
but only to the extent not superseded by federal law. In the event that any
discrepancies arise between the contract and laws or regulations which are
effective with respect to the contract, the laws and regulations will prevail.

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18.  ARBITRATION

     Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this
Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration, conducted before a panel
of three arbitrators sitting in a location selected by the employee within
thirty (30) miles from the location of the Bank, in accordance with the rules of
the American Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment may be entered on
the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction; provided, however, that
Executive shall be entitled to seek specific performance of his right to be paid
until the Date of Termination during the pendency of any dispute or controversy
arising under or in connection with this Agreement.

19.  SUCCESSOR TO THE BANK

     The Bank shall require any successor or assignee, whether direct or
indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or
substantially all the business or assets of the Bank or the Company, expressly
and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Bank's obligations under
this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that the Bank would be
required to perform if no such succession or assignment had taken place.



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