11 September,2026 12:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image. File pic.
Banking services, especially at the 12 public sector banks across the country, were impacted on Friday after the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) called a nationwide strike demanding five-day workweek and resolve pending wage-related issues.
The strike call given by the UFBU, an umbrella body of seven unions representing 90 per cent of officer and employee strength, did not impact the functioning of new generation private sector banks such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank.
Most branches of public sector banks across the country were either completely or partially closed as both employees and officers observed the strike, as per news agency PTI.
In Maharashtra, more than 60,000 bank employees and officers are participating in the strike and banking operations will be severely affected, with no staff available at the counters to serve customers, while clearing operations will also be paralysed, UFBU Maharashtra State said.
"UFBU Maharashtra strongly regrets that, instead of resolving these legitimate issues in accordance with
the commitments and assurances extended through the IBA (Indian Banks' Association), the government has adopted a course of action that is precipitating an unnecessary confrontation with the banking workforce.
The demands of bank employees and officers are neither unreasonable nor unjustified," UFBU Maharashtra said.
Banking services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances, locker services and administrative work were hit at branches of most public sector banks (PSBs),regional rural banks and some old-generation private sector banks. However, online and mobile banking services, digital banking services including UPI and cash withdrawals at ATMs, were functional.
"Since there was no positive outcome and the government did not agree to our demand, this strike is forced on us. Bank employees and officers are highly aggrieved that they alone are being discriminated against," the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), a constituent of UFBU, general secretary C H Venkatachalam said.
Many public sector banks including the country's largest lender State Bank of India had said, "We advise that while the bank has made all necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning of the branches and offices on the days of strike, it is likely that work in banks may be impacted by the strike".
Similarly, Bank of Baroda had said, "The bank is taking all the necessary steps for smooth functioning of bank's branches and offices on the day of strike, in the event the strike materialises, the functioning of the branches and offices may be affected.
The unions are demanding the declaration of all Saturdays as holidays, a key point that was reportedly agreed upon during the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) in March 2024 but is awaiting government notification.
Currently, banks are closed only on second and fourth Saturdays.
Another demand is the performance linked incentive scheme (PLI Scheme), which the unions say should be paid to all employees on a proportionate basis and no employee should be denied the right to incentive. The government has put the PLI scheme on hold.
The other residual demands, including improvement of pension, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners and an option for employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), as per PTI.
The strike will disrupt the banking services in the state for four days, as it is a bank holiday on September 12, 13 and 14, on account of second Saturday, Sunday and Ganesh Chaturthi, respectively. Other states such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana will too face a four-day banking service disruption as the banking operations remain closed for Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday.
(With inputs from PTI)
