New Delhi, August 2026 : The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella organisation representing nine bank employees’ and officers’ unions, has announced a nationwide strike on September 11, citing delays in implementing five-day banking, differences over the performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and several unresolved pension-related demands.
The unions have also warned of further industrial action if their demands are not addressed. According to the UFBU, a three-day nationwide strike will be observed from September 28, coinciding with the half-yearly closing period. If there is no progress on the issues, the unions have threatened to begin an indefinite strike from October 26.
The decisions were taken at a meeting of the UFBU on Sunday, where representatives expressed concern over what they described as the government’s negative approach towards key demands raised by bank employees and officers.
If implemented, the proposed strikes could disrupt banking services across the country, particularly operations in public sector banks. The September 11 strike falls on a Friday and is followed by bank holidays in several regions, while September 14 is also a holiday in some states on account of Ganesh Chaturthi, potentially extending the impact on banking operations.
Five-Day Banking Remains Key Demand
The implementation of a five-day working week remains one of the major demands of the banking unions. The UFBU said the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had agreed to the proposal as part of the 12th Bipartite Settlement and 9th Joint Note signed on March 8, 2024.
Under the proposed arrangement, banks would remain closed on Saturdays and Sundays, while daily working hours from Monday to Friday would increase by around 40 minutes. The proposal was subsequently recommended to the government but, according to the unions, has remained pending for more than two years.
The unions have also raised objections to the government’s PLI framework for bank officers in Scale IV and above. They maintain that the scheme differs from the understanding reached with the IBA, under which incentives were expected to be linked primarily to the overall performance of individual banks while maintaining uniformity across employee categories.
According to the UFBU, officers in Scale IV and above could receive PLI equivalent to as much as 365 days of basic pay under the government’s framework, depending on individual performance. In comparison, workmen employees and officers up to Scale III would receive a maximum incentive equivalent to 15 days of basic pay plus dearness allowance.
Pension Issues Also Pending
The unions have listed several other unresolved issues, including updation of pensions, a uniform formula for calculating dearness allowance for pensioners and allowing employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to opt for the old pension scheme.
The UFBU has urged the government and bank managements to address the demands through negotiations to prevent the proposed strikes and minimise disruption to banking services.
