Bank Unions Call Three-Day Nationwide Strike From September 28; Five-Day Work Week Demand At Centre
Bank employees’ unions across India are set to observe a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to 30, 2026, after negotiations with the government and banking authorities failed to resolve the principal outstanding demand for a five-day banking week. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body representing seven bank unions, says it represents about 90% of the banking workforce.
The immediate dispute centres on the demand to introduce a five-day working week for banks, with Saturdays becoming holidays. The Indian Banks’ Association had agreed to the proposal under the 12th Bipartite Settlement/9th Joint Note in March 2024, but the proposal still requires government approval. The Finance Ministry has said there was no commitment from the government to implement the five-day week and that the matter remains under consideration.
The unions had also opposed the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and raised other service and pension-related issues. The government says it has already kept the PLI scheme in abeyance, effectively addressing one of the two principal demands identified in its September 21 statement. The government has nevertheless urged the unions to resolve the remaining dispute through dialogue.
The planned strike comes at a particularly sensitive point in the banking calendar because September 30 marks the half-yearly closing of banks. The Finance Ministry has warned that disruption during this period could affect reconciliation, provisioning, treasury and market operations, as well as transactions involving customers, businesses and government departments.
To reduce the impact on customers, public sector banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) have been directed to operate normally on Sunday, September 27. The Reserve Bank of India has approved the operation of bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests on that day.
The government has also asked banks to ensure adequate cash availability at ATMs and maintain essential customer services during the strike period. Several banks have advised customers to complete urgent branch-based transactions before September 28 and make use of internet banking, mobile banking, UPI, ATMs and other digital channels during the disruption.
The strike is expected to have its strongest effect on participating public sector banks and regional rural banks. New-generation private banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank are expected to continue normal operations, although individual services can vary by institution.
The timing could effectively create an extended disruption around the weekend. September 26 is the second Saturday and September 27 is Sunday, although public sector banks and RRBs will specifically open on September 27 to provide customers with an additional opportunity to complete essential transactions before the strike.
The unions have indicated that the industrial action could escalate if the five-day banking demand remains unresolved. The government has recorded that, following the September 28–30 strike, an indefinite strike has been proposed from October 26, 2026.
The developments mean customers with time-sensitive cheque, cash, account, loan, documentation or other branch-dependent requirements may need to plan ahead, while routine digital transactions are expected to remain available. Central government departments have also been instructed to facilitate advance disbursement of September salaries, wages and pensions because of the anticipated disruption.
