Bank employees are going on strike to advocate the demand for a five-day working week

The United Forum of Bank Union, the umbrella body of nine banking sector unions, claimed that the one-day nationwide banking strike it called today to press its demand for the introduction of five-day banking and declaring all Saturdays a public holiday was a success.

As bank employees up to the middle management level, who constitute the majority of the banks’ workforce, are part of the strike, services, including check clearing, at twelve public sector banks and some old generation banks in the private sector were affected.

There are nine constituent trade unions/associations in the UFBU: All India Bank Employees Association, All India Bank Officers Confederation, National Confederation of Bank Employees, All India Bank Officers Association, Bank Employees Federation of India, Indian National Bank Employees Congress, Indian National Bank Officers Congress, National Organization of Bank Workers and National Organization of Bank Officers.

Public sector banks and some private sector banks have already informed the stock exchanges about the strike. For example, SBI in its regulatory filing last week said: “We advise that while the Bank has taken necessary steps to ensure normal functioning of its branches and offices on the day of the strike, it is likely that work at the Bank may be affected by the strike.”

While RBI, LIC, GIC etc. currently operate five days a week with all Saturdays of the month being public holidays, banks currently have only two^i.e and 4^e Saturday holiday.

CH Venkatachalam, general secretary of All India Bank Employees’ Association, said, “Foreign exchange market, money market, stock exchanges etc. do not work on Saturdays. Offices of central and state governments do not work on Saturdays. Therefore, there is no reason why banks cannot introduce five-day banking.”

“From the UFBU, we have demanded the introduction of a five-day working week in the banking sector. In December 2023, after consultations (with IBA and the government), it was agreed that the daily working hours will be increased by 40 minutes from Monday to Friday and the remaining Saturdays will be declared as holidays. This has been strongly recommended to the government. But unfortunately, this has been awaiting approval for the past two years.”

Bank employees and officials held demonstrations across the country demanding the introduction of the five-day work week.

ends

Published on January 27, 2026