03 January 2004	Saturday	10 Ziqa'ad 1424

HYDERABAD, Jan 2:: The National Biscuit Factory workers, under the aegis of the CBA union, here on Friday staged a protest march from the factory premises to the press club where they held a demonstration against the factory management.

Speaking on the occasion, the president of the union, Hakimuddin, general secretary, Mohammad Naeem, the general secretary, Golden Cookies Workers' Union, Mohammad Ayaz Abbasi, and labour leaders of other factories said that negotiations between the CBA union and the mill owners had been going on for the last four months on the charter of demands but the factory management was not prepared to accept even a single demanded.

They said that the CBA had already served a strike notice on the factory management after the expiry of which, the workers would go on strike on Jan 6. They said that the factory management had even withdrawn the existing facilities and was threatening workers with dire consequences. They appealed to the authorities to ensure the implementation of labour laws in the factory.

BLOOD BANKS: District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman advised blood banks on Friday to contact the focal person, Dr Nazar Junejo, to get registration, failing which an action would be taken against the non-registered blood banks through the Blood Transfusion Authority. He was speaking at a meeting of the authority officials here.He expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in the registration of blood banks.

ISRA: The Isra University here on Thursday announced the admission schedule of degree courses in Business Administration, Computer Science and Information Technology for male and female candidates for spring 2004.

Admission kit, including applications form, prospectus and other information, would be available on payment of Rs500 from the university campus, Hala road, and Soneri Bank from Jan 2. Last date for submission of the forms has been fixed as March 5. Candidates would be required to pass the entry test to be held on March 7.