HARIPUR, Sept 8: The workers of the Syed Match Factory continued their strike for a fourth day on Saturday.

According to Nazir Hussain Shah, the head of an eight-member action committee of the protesting workers, over 200 employees have been working in the factory for several years.

He alleged that the factory management had refused to enhance minimum monthly wage from Rs3,000. He called it a violation of the directive of the government which had fixed the minimum monthly wage for workers at Rs4,600.

Mr Shah said the action committee made efforts to convince the management but remained unsuccessful.

As a last resort the workers had started the strike from Wednesday for an indefinite period, he said.

He announced that the workers would not resume work un-til the management accept-

ed the demands of workers,

including raise in salaries as

per the government notification, issuance of social secu-

rity cards and EOBI registration.

The protesting workers staged a demonstration and chanted slogans against the factory administration.

When contacted, the factory administration denied that the workers were on a strike.

One Mushtaq, who introduced himself as the account officer of the factory, said that the production was in progress.

However, he said, a very small number of workers had refused to work overtime who were being pursued to resume their duties.

He claimed that the administration had already been paying Rs4,000 as monthly wage. Majority of workers had been provided with EOBI registration and the Social Security cover, he added.

Mr Mushtaq said that some workers were trying to create confusion in the factory.

He said the management had been facing financial problems and was not able to give a raise to workers.

He conceded that owing to prevailing situation the administration was considering

closing down the unit for some time.