New Delhi, September 11, 2026: Banking services across the country were affected on Friday after the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) called a nationwide strike to press for the immediate implementation of a five-day workweek and resolution of pending wage-related issues.
Most branches of public sector banks remained either fully or partially closed as employees and officers joined the strike. Services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances and administrative work were affected at several branches of public sector banks and some old-generation private sector banks.
Digital Banking Remains Operational
The strike, called by the UFBU, an umbrella body of seven unions representing around 90% of bank officers and employees, did not affect the functioning of private sector banks.
While branch operations were disrupted, digital banking services, including UPI and internet banking, continued to function. Several public sector banks had informed customers in advance about the possible impact on services and advised them to use digital platforms where possible, PTI reports.
The unions are demanding that all Saturdays be declared holidays, a key demand that was reportedly agreed upon during the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) in March 2024. However, the decision is still awaiting government notification.
Currently, banks remain open on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of every month.
Unions Cite Pending Demands
The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), a constituent of UFBU, said the strike was called after the government did not agree to their demands.
“Since there was no positive outcome and the government did not agree to our demand, this strike is forced on us. Bank employees and officers are highly aggrieved that they alone are being discriminated against,” AIBEA general secretary C. H. Venkatachalam told PTI.
Apart from the five-day workweek, other pending demands include improvements in pension benefits, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners, and an option for employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
Madhya Pradesh Sees Major Impact
The nationwide strike also affected banking operations in Madhya Pradesh, where work came to a halt at around 7,000 branches, impacting daily business worth around Rs 5,500 crore, according to a bank employees' organisation.
Madhya Pradesh Bank Employees Association chairman Mohankrishna Shukla said around 42,000 employees and officers from nearly 7,000 of the state’s 8,707 bank branches participated in the strike.
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Employees of 12 public sector banks, various regional rural banks and cooperative banks took part in the protest. The strike highlighted the continuing differences between bank unions and the government over working conditions and long-pending demands.
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