Public sector bank unions will go ahead with a three-day nationwide strike from 28 to 30 September after a conciliation meeting with the government failed to resolve their demand for a five-day banking week.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the umbrella body of bank employee and officer associations, confirmed the strike on 22 September following talks that produced no agreement. The forum is pressing two demands: a five-day banking week and withdrawal of the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The Department of Financial Services, the Indian Banks’ Association and bank managements had appealed to the unions to defer the action, and the Press Information Bureau issued an appeal to public sector and regional rural bank staff to keep services uninterrupted.
“Our main demand is introduction of five days banking per week,” said C H Venkatachalam, general secretary of the All India Bank Employees’ Association, after the meeting.
The government says one of the two demands has already been addressed. The PLI scheme has been kept in abeyance for FY 2025-26 following employee representations, with the matter to be taken up in the ongoing bipartite settlement talks. The timing sharpens the impact: 30 September is the half-year closing date for banks, and the Finance Ministry has warned that, combined with the preceding weekend, the strike could effectively disrupt services for five consecutive days. State Bank of India has advised customers to complete important transactions before 26 September and rely on digital channels during the strike.
The action follows a one-day strike on 11 September, and the UFBU has announced an indefinite strike from 26 October if the demands remain unresolved. Bank employee agitations over the five-day week have recurred through 2026 as the bipartite settlement drags on. What to watch: whether talks reopen before 28 September, and whether the October indefinite strike call holds.
