Nationwide bank strike on Tuesday: What SBI, PNB, BoB customers should expect

With banks remaining closed on January 25 (Sun) and January 26 (Republic Day), the strike on Tuesday will result in a disruption of branch-level services for three consecutive days.

Banking operations at public sector banks across the country are likely to be disrupted on Tuesday as the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) goes ahead with its nationwide strike on January 27, pressing for the immediate implementation of a five-day work week.

The strike call comes after a conciliation meeting held on January 23 with the Chief Labour Commissioner failed to break the deadlock. UFBU is an umbrella body of nine unions representing officers and employees of public sector banks.

With banks already closed on Sunday (January 25) and Monday (January 26) on account of Republic Day, customers could face disruption in branch-level services for three consecutive days.

“Despite detailed discussions during the conciliation proceedings, there was no assurance on our demand. Hence, we have been compelled to proceed with the strike action,” All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Venkatachalam told PTI.

All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) General Secretary Rupam Roy said the move to declare all Saturdays as holidays was agreed upon between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and UFBU during the wage revision settlement in March 2024.

“It is unfortunate that the government is not responding to our genuine demand. There would be no loss of man-hours as we have agreed to work an extra 40 minutes daily from Monday to Friday,” Roy said.

National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE) General Secretary L Chandrasekhar said the agitation was not directed against customers. “This movement is not against customers, but for a sustainable, humane, and efficient banking system. A rested banker serves the nation better. A balanced workforce strengthens financial stability. 5-Day banking is not a luxury; it is an economic and human necessity,” he said.

Branch-level services such as cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearances and administrative work are expected to be affected at public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bank of Baroda.

Private sector lenders such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank are expected to remain largely unaffected, as their employees are not part of the unions participating in the strike.

Digital banking services, including UPI and internet banking, are expected to function normally, though ATM cash availability could face localised disruptions due to logistical issues.

Several public sector banks, including SBI, have informed stock exchanges about the possible impact. “While the bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices on the day of strike, it is likely that work in the bank may be impacted by the strike,” SBI said in a regulatory filing.

The unions are demanding the declaration of all Saturdays as holidays, a proposal that was part of the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the IBA in March 2024 but is yet to receive government notification. Currently, banks operate on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of every month.