Banking Services May Be Hit as Unions Plan September Strikes
What Happened
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has announced a nationwide bank strike on September 11, 2026, followed by a three-day strike from September 28-30. The unions have also warned of an indefinite strike from October 26 if their demands are not met. The UFBU says the agitation is aimed at securing a five-day banking week and resolving disputes over the government's revised Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
Key Takeaways
The demand for a five-day work week remains at the center of the protest. Unions argue that the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) had already agreed to the proposal in the 2024 bipartite settlement, under which employees would work an additional 40 minutes on weekdays in exchange for all Saturdays being holidays. If the strikes proceed, banking operations, especially in public sector banks, could face significant disruption.