SBI Bank Strike On May 25-26? Bank Employee Union Makes 16 Demands

The All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) is set to go on a two-day nationwide strike on May 25 and 26, 2026, to escalate long-pending demands. Citing administrative neglect and a systematic disregard for the workforce, the federation, through its circular issued on May 2, 2026, highlights that the bank management is bringing in anti-employee policies, and the institution’s backbone is being dismantled through such policies. According to the notification, if either of the scheduled dates for the strike falls on a holiday, then the strike will be observed on May 27.

Several other bank employee and pensioner unions have extended solidarity for the two-day strike. These include National Confederation of Bank of India Staff Unions, Federation Of National Postal Organisations (FNPO), Ceylon Bank Employees' Union, Federation of SBI Pensioners' Associations, Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Employees' Federation, All India Bank of Baroda Employees' Federation, All India PNB Staff Federation, Indian National Bank Employees’ Federation, All India Union Bank Staff Federation, All India Railwaymen's Federation, among others.

The core of the agitation is the dispute over what the union describes as a dangerous shift to the outsourcing of permanent jobs. The federation alleges that stable, dignified employment is being replaced by precarious engagements. It not only denies workers’ security but also puts customer data at risk due to the lack of accountability among outsourced staff.

The AISBISF highlights a nearly three-decade-long freeze on recruiting messengers. The freeze has vanished an entire cadre while reducing opportunities for underprivileged sections of the society, it claims.

Physical Safety

It raises the physical safety concerns of the employees. Referring to a brazen daytime robbery at a Surat branch, where armed robbers threatened bank staff and looted cash, the federation underscores the direct consequence of the management's failure to recruit Armed Guards. It argues that the bank is exposing its employees, including women and the public, to grave danger by not recruiting guards and leaving branches unprotected.

Pay Parity

Further demands include pay parity, observing the growing unrest among employees due to financial inequities. The federation noted that while the 12th Bipartite Settlement mandated a 17 per cent increase for all across the industry, SBI management granted additional ‘Special Pay’ only to the officers. This disparity pushed the effective increase for officials to nearly 22 per cent, whereas for workmen it remained capped at 17 per cent.

NPS Pension Fund Manager

The federation also highlighted that over 1.1 lakh employees and officers under the National Pension System (NPS) are being denied the option to change their Pension Fund Manager. While other banks offer the option to select the pension fund manager, SBI doesn’t allow it, causing erosion of employees’ retirement savings due to remaining invested in underperforming funds.

The AISBISF has issued a charter of demands, which includes the following 16 points:

Charter Of Demands

1. Recruitment of messengers

2. Recruitment of armed guards

3. Change of pension fund manager option for NPS employees

4. Inter-circle transfers for employees who joined from 2019 onwards

5. Stop outsourcing of permanent jobs

6. Recruitment of adequate staff

7. Parity issue in State Bank of India

8. Review of career progression scheme

9. Notional 8th stagnation increment to 10th bipartite retirees

10. Physician consultation charges

11. Improvement in medical reimbursement scheme

12. Adding all pay components to the pension of 7th bps retirees since retirement

13. Resolve human resource management system (HRMS) issues

14. Appointment of workmen employee director

15. Appointment of PF trustee nominee

16. Stop mis-selling in the name of cross-selling