New Delhi: The proposed three-day nationwide bank strike scheduled from September 28 to 30, 2026, has been deferred following talks between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).
Why was the bank strike postponed?
The key reason behind the decision is an understanding between the IBA and UFBU to constitute a high-level committee to examine the demand for a five-day banking week.
Bank unions have been demanding that all Saturdays should be declared holidays for bank employees. At present, bank branches generally remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays, while they operate on other Saturdays.
The proposed committee will examine the issue, consult stakeholders and work towards a mutually acceptable solution.
PLI scheme also on the agenda
Discussions will also cover the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, another issue raised by bank unions.
The unions had expressed concerns over changes to the incentive system. The latest understanding between the IBA and UFBU provides an opportunity to discuss the matter rather than proceed immediately with the three-day strike.
Relief for bank customers
The postponement comes as a major relief for customers because the proposed strike would have followed the weekend and could have resulted in several consecutive days of disruption to physical banking services.
The strike was expected to particularly affect public-sector bank branches and could have caused delays in branch transactions, clearing and other services around the month-end period.
The government had earlier appealed to bank unions to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue and had highlighted the need to maintain uninterrupted banking services.
The latest agreement between the IBA and UFBU therefore provides temporary relief to customers while discussions continue on the long-pending demand for a five-day banking week.
