Public sector banks across India are experiencing disruptions today, January 27, 2026, due to a nationwide strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). The strike stems from a long-standing demand for a five-day work week for bank employees.
The UFBU, an umbrella organization comprising nine major bank unions in India, representing employees and officers across public sector banks, initiated the strike after failing to reach an agreement with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the government regarding their demand. Conciliation meetings held earlier in the week with the Chief Labour Commissioner in Delhi did not yield any positive results, pushing the unions to proceed with the strike.
The central issue driving the strike is the demand to declare all Saturdays as holidays, effectively transitioning banks to a five-day work week. Currently, bank employees have holidays on Sundays and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. The UFBU argues that a five-day work week would improve the work-life balance for employees, reduce burnout, and align the banking sector with other major financial institutions and government departments that already follow this practice. They point to organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), General Insurance Corporation (GIC), and stock exchanges as examples. Union leaders also stated that they agreed to work an extra 40 minutes daily from Monday to Friday.
The strike is expected to heavily impact public sector banks, potentially causing significant inconvenience to customers. Services likely to be affected include cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearing, passbook updates, and other over-the-counter transactions. Several state-owned banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of Baroda, Union Bank, and Canara Bank, have already alerted customers about potential disruptions. SBI stated that while they are trying to ensure normal functioning in their branches, operations may still be impacted.
Private sector banks, including ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Axis Bank, are expected to operate normally, as their employees are not part of the striking unions. Digital banking services, such as ATMs, internet banking, and mobile banking platforms, are also expected to remain operational. However, some areas may experience uneven ATM cash availability due to reduced staff movement during the strike.
The strike occurs after banks were already closed on Sunday, January 25, and Monday, January 26, for Republic Day, creating three consecutive days of potential disruptions for customers relying on branch services. Customers are advised to plan their banking needs accordingly and utilize digital channels whenever possible.
