Bank strike September 28-30: SBI, PNB, Union Bank, Bank of India appeal to employees

• Banks appeal to employees ahead of 3-day strike.
• UFBU calls for strike over 5-day banking week.
• Strike could impact branch services from Sept 28-30.

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Several public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Indian Bank, have issued fresh communications to employees ahead of the proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 to 30.

The latest appeals come after the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) decided to proceed with the strike following a conciliation meeting with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), Department of Financial Services (DFS) and bank managements on September 22.

The unions are seeking implementation of a five-day banking week. UFBU has maintained that the strike will go ahead unless there is concrete and positive progress on the demand.

SBI, PNB and other banks appeal to employees

SBI, Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank and PNB have shared separate communications with employees as the strike dates approach.

The broad message from the lenders is to ensure continuity of banking operations and customer services during the period.

Union Bank, in its communication to employees, highlighted measures taken for staff welfare, including improvements in pay and allowances following the wage settlement, enhanced welfare benefits, recruitment, benefits for retirees and HR reforms.

The bank also urged employees to refrain from resorting to strike and ensure that banking services remain uninterrupted.

Other public sector banks have also communicated with their employees ahead of the strike, with the lenders highlighting the need to maintain banking operations and customer service.

Separately, the Finance Ministry had on September 21 appealed to employees of public sector banks and regional rural banks to refrain from participating in the proposed strikes. The ministry said the government had already kept the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in abeyance, while the five-day banking proposal remained under consideration.

UFBU maintains September 28-30 strike call

Despite appeals from the government, bank managements and the IBA, UFBU has maintained its strike programme.

In its September 22 circular, the union forum said there had been no positive response to its demand for implementation of five-day banking. It said it would consider the appeals to defer the strike if there was a concrete and positive development on the issue. Otherwise, it would proceed with the September 28, 29 and 30 strike.

In its latest communication on X, UFBU reiterated its position, saying there was “no positive response” and “no 5-day banking yet”, while calling on its members to participate in the three-day strike.

The September action is part of UFBU’s wider protest programme. The forum had earlier called a one-day nationwide strike on September 11. It has also announced an indefinite strike from October 26 if the five-day banking demand remains unresolved.

Why are bank employees demanding five-day banking?

The implementation of a five-day banking week is the key unresolved demand behind the current strike.

UFBU has said that the five-day banking arrangement was agreed to as part of the wage revision settlement signed in March 2024, but has not yet been implemented.

At the September 22 conciliation meeting, IBA and DFS representatives told the union forum that the issue was under consideration and sought a deferment of the strike. UFBU, however, said it would reconsider the strike only if there was concrete progress towards implementation.

What does the strike mean for bank customers?

If employees participate in the strike, branch-based banking services could be affected from September 28 to 30.

The disruption could extend across five consecutive days for customers because September 26 is the fourth Saturday and September 27 is Sunday.

Customers who need branch-dependent services may therefore want to complete those transactions before the strike. Digital banking channels, ATMs, UPI and mobile banking services are expected to continue, although availability of individual services can vary between banks.

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