Five-day work week: Banking services impacted as unions go on nationwide strike
Mangalore Today News Network
New Delhi, January 27, 2026: Operations at public sector banks across India are likely to be disrupted on Tuesday as the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) goes ahead with a nationwide strike, demanding the immediate implementation of a five-day work week.
Branch-level services at public sector banks (PSBs) such as the State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bank of Baroda are expected to be impacted. Services including cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearance and routine administrative work may face disruptions.
Private sector banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank are expected to function normally, as their employees are not members of the unions participating in the strike.
Digital banking services, including UPI and internet banking, will continue to operate. However, ATM cash availability may be affected in some areas due to logistical constraints.
Several PSBs, including SBI, have informed stock exchanges about the possible impact. In a regulatory filing dated January 23, SBI said it had made arrangements to ensure normal functioning, but acknowledged that operations could still be affected by the strike, news agency PTI reported.
The unions are pressing for the declaration of all Saturdays as bank holidays, a demand they say was agreed upon during the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) in March 2024, but is yet to be formally notified by the government. At present, banks function on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of each month.
The strike call comes after a conciliation meeting held on January 23 with the Chief Labour Commissioner failed to produce a positive outcome. UFBU is an umbrella body of nine unions representing bank officers and employees.
With banks already closed on January 24 (fourth Saturday), January 25 (Sunday) and January 26 (Republic Day), Tuesday’s strike will result in the disruption of branch services for the fourth consecutive day.
“Despite detailed discussions during the conciliation proceedings, there was no assurance on our demand. Hence, we have been compelled to proceed with the strike,” All India Bank Employees Association general secretary C H Venkatachalam said.
All India Bank Officers’ Confederation general secretary Rupam Roy said the five-day work week had been mutually agreed upon during the wage revision settlement. “There would be no loss of man-hours as we have agreed to work an extra 40 minutes daily from Monday to Friday,” he added.
Echoing the sentiment, National Confederation of Bank Employees general secretary L Chandrasekhar said the movement was not against customers. “A rested banker serves the nation better. Five-day banking is not a luxury; it is an economic and human necessity,” he said.