nagpur new generation or private sector banks have largely remained insulated by the countrywide strike calls on wednesday however lower level work like data entry and house keeping was hit in axis bank as bhartiya kamgar sena the shiv senaaffiliated union for the first time responded to a strike call by left and congress unions contract workers from axis bank also came out to protest the small group holding saffron banners could be seen apart among scores of red flags of the communist unions the workers not only complained of poor wages and lack of job security but also insulting behaviour by their superiorsits for the first time that we have staged protests in a joint forum like this the only union under bharatiya kamgar sena that has joined the rally is its axis bank unit though the union also has a presence in some of the other private sector banks said sanjay lonare from bharatiya kamgar senas axis bank unitthe lower level work in all the axis bank branches of the state has been hit today or taken over by regular workers the 7500 contract workforce in axis banks branches in maharashtra are on strike the contract workers here are affiliated to the kamgar sena he saidthe condition of contractor workers is worse than animals salaries range between rs13000 to rs17000 a month though its difficult to make ends meet contract workers are even denied basic rights like leave a single days leave not only leads to a pay cut but also a threat of losing the job women workers services are terminated after they return from maternity leave he saidprovident fund is deducted from salaries but other terms and conditions are framed in such a way that employees are not eligible for gratuity at all contract workers are engaged on a threeyearly basis even as the same employees are continued their services are terminated after every three years and a fresh contract has to be signed this leads to a break in service due to which the minimum period of five years for getting gratuity is not maintained he saidin june an email intimating plans to lay off 750 contract workers had left everyone worried we hardly have any scope to get other employment one of the workers in nagpur also attempted suicide following the news but was saved finally due to the unions pressure the move was withdrawn said a workervishal shende said he is 33 years old and earns rs17000 a month he may be better compared to many of his colleagues yet the sum is too less to meet expenses we have to work much beyond the regular eight hour shift yet there is no over time with age chances of getting another job is also reducing i see no scope of a hike in wages he saidwe do all the menial work like cleaning plates and arranging food during the staffers birthday celebrations but nobody bothers to even wish us on our birthdays forget