Bank Services Disrupted Across India Over Five-Day Work Week Demand
Bank Services: Service in India’s public banks took a hit on Friday. Staff and officers from a number of state-run lenders joined a strike held across the country. The call came from the United Forum of Bank Unions, or UFBU. UFBU says it wants a five-day work week to start right away. It also wants older matters to be settled. Those include pay issues, pension matters, and other retirement-related concerns that are still pending. Because of the strike, many bank branches stayed shut or worked only in part. In several places, customers had trouble with in-person services. Cash deposits and cash withdrawals were disrupted. Cheque clearing also faced delays, along with routine office work. UFBU is a group that brings together seven bank unions. It covers about 90 per cent of the officers and employees in India’s banking sector.
Public Sector Bank Branches Stay Shut
A strike led to closures at many public sector bank branches. Staff and officers took part in the protest. A few older private sector bank branches also felt the effect. Still, most private banks kept running as usual. The pause hit customers who rely on branch visits. Cash work and some other services are not always possible through apps or websites. Digital banking did not stop. UPI, internet banking, and other online options stayed active. People could use them for common tasks like beforeWhy are bank workers striking?
Union leaders say the main issue is the move to a five day work week. They want every Saturday to be a holiday. The unions claim this plan was set out in the 12th Bipartite Settlement between bank groups and worker unions, signed in March 2024. Still, they say the government has not issued the needed notice. Right now, most banks keep doors open on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays. The second and fourth Saturdays are usually holidays. The unions say staff should follow a true five day schedule. They also say they have been asking the government to finish the paperwork so the change can start.Pension and retirement concerns are also in focus
Besides the five-day work week, bank unions want steps on a list of pension and retirement issues that are still pending. They ask that pension payouts be revised and strengthened. They also want one clear formula for the dearness allowance for every pensioner. In addition, workers under the National Pension System should be given a choice to move to the Old Pension Scheme. The unions say progress has been slow and talks have not led to an acceptable result. They added that the strike was needed after the meetings did not work out.SBI has shared an advisory with its customers.
Before this, a few public sector banks had already told people that the strike might disrupt services. In its note, the State Bank of India said it has set up steps so branches and offices can keep running in a normal way. Even so, some work may be affected due to employees joining the strike. If you plan to use services that depend on a specific branch, delays or brief interruptions are possible.UPI and net banking stayed active
Even with branch locations closed, many online banking tools kept running. People were still able to use UPI and internet banking to complete a lot of everyday tasks. They did not need to go to a branch to do those payments. For many users, this eased the strain from the strike. A large share of customers rely on digital payments. Still, those who need cash, cheque work, or other in-branch services may have had problems. The strike has also pushed the five-day work week back into the spotlight. Bank unions are still asking the government to act. For now, customers are waiting to see what comes next on the proposed change and on the other requests made by bank staff.
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