The United Forum of Bank Unions has called a phased nationwide strike beginning 11 September 2026, primarily to demand a five-day banking week and the withdrawal of the revised performance-linked incentive scheme. The action was decided at a meeting held on Sunday, 23 August.
The UFBU, an umbrella body of nine bank employees’ and officers’ unions, announced a one-day strike on 11 September, followed by a three-day strike from 28 to 30 September. It has also warned of an indefinite strike from 26 October if the demands remain unresolved.
Because 11 September is a Friday and the following two days are bank holidays, services at public sector banks could be affected for four consecutive days in many parts of the country. Union estimates put potential participation at around 8 lakh employees and officers.
The five-day week has been a long-standing demand. The UFBU said the Indian Banks’ Association had agreed to the proposal under the 12th Bipartite Settlement and the 9th Joint Note signed in March 2024, subject to government approval. Under the demand, all Saturdays and Sundays would be declared holidays; at present, banks generally close on Sundays and the second and fourth Saturdays.
The unions have termed the PLI scheme, directed by the Department of Financial Services for Scale IV officers and above, as discriminatory and contrary to the understanding reached with the IBA. They argue it would disproportionately benefit a small section of officers and undermine uniformity across cadres. The matter is under conciliation before the Chief Labour Commissioner, and the unions have also challenged the DFS framework in the Delhi High Court.
Additional demands include updation and improvement of pension, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners, and an option for employees under the National Pension System to move to the Old Pension Scheme. The UFBU has said these were identified for further bilateral discussion after the March 2024 settlement.
While branches will be closed on strike days, ATM and digital banking may continue depending on the bank and the availability of cash and technical services. Customers have been advised to plan branch-based transactions accordingly, with the September dates now the key marker for whether talks between the IBA and the unions produce a resolution.
