Bank employees across the country are going on a three-day strike starting Monday to press for demands including five-day work, updated pension benefits, and DA. Bank unions have called for a nationwide strike from September 28 to 30th.
Services such as check clearance, cash deposits, and withdrawals at bank branches are expected to be affected. Public sector banks, older private banks, and regional rural banks are likely to be most affected by this strike. However, digital banking services are expected to remain available normally. Branches of private banks like ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank will remain open during these three days.
Complete Important Tasks Before Visiting the Bank
If you have any urgent work to do at the branch due to the bank strike, it’s best to complete it in advance. Customers may face difficulties depositing checks, withdrawing or depositing cash, and other branch-based services. Many banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), have issued advisories to their customers regarding the strike. SBI has stated that it will make every effort to provide essential services, but some services may be affected.
The bank has urged customers to complete essential banking transactions in advance. It has been advised to use ATMs and ADWMs for cash needs, and to utilise YONO, internet banking, mobile banking, UPI, and other digital means.
Which services may be affected?
During the three-day strike, bank branch services may be primarily affected. These include check clearance, cash deposits and withdrawals, and other in-branch banking operations.
A five-day banking week is the most pressing demand.
Among the demands being addressed by banking unions, the most prominent is the implementation of a five-day banking week. This demand has been pending for several years. Union leaders say that a five-day workweek is already in place at many government and financial institutions. Rupam Roy, General Secretary of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), said that the unions have been forced to resort to agitation due to the attitude of the government and management.
L. Chandrashekhar, General Secretary of the National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), said that in addition to central and state government offices, institutions like the RBI, LIC, GIC, and NABARD also have a five-day work week.
Demands for Pension and OPS
Bank unions’ demands are not limited to a five-day banking week. They are also demanding the updating and improvement of pension benefits, the implementation of a uniform formula for dearness allowance (DA) for all pensioners, and the option for employees covered under the NPS to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The unions have also threatened an indefinite strike from October 26, 2026, if these demands are not resolved.
Finance Ministry appeals for withdrawal of strike.
This week, the Finance Ministry appealed to bank employees not to go on strike and to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue. The ministry stated that most of the unions’ demands have been substantially resolved, and the remaining demands are under consideration. The ministry also stated that the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, a key demand of the unions, has been put on hold following detailed discussions earlier this month.
