Bank Strike Today: Banking services at public sector banks nationwide may face disruptions on Tuesday, January 27, as the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) proceeds with its planned nationwide strike,
demanding the immediate rollout of a five-day work week.
The strike call comes after a conciliation meeting with the Chief Labour Commissioner on January 23 failed to produce a resolution. UFBU represents a coalition of nine unions covering officers and staff of public sector banks.
The timing could amplify inconvenience for customers, with banks already shut on Sunday (January 25) and Monday (January 26) for Republic Day, potentially leading to a three-day stretch of limited branch-level services.
Core services such as cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearances, and routine branch operations are likely to be affected at public sector lenders including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), and Bank of Baroda.
Private sector banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank are expected to operate as usual, as their employees are not part of the unions backing the strike.
Digital channels — including UPI, mobile banking, and internet banking — are expected to function normally. However, some localised issues with ATM cash availability cannot be ruled out due to logistical constraints.
Several public sector banks have notified stock exchanges about the potential impact. SBI, in a regulatory filing, said it has made arrangements to maintain normal operations but acknowledged that work could still be affected by the strike.
At the heart of the protest is the unions’ demand to declare all Saturdays as bank holidays. The proposal was part of the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks’ Association in March 2024, but it still awaits formal government notification. Currently, banks operate on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month.
