Summary of this article
UFBU calls September 11 nationwide strike over five-day banking demand.
Unions oppose revised PLI rules and seek pension changes.
Three-day strike starts September 28; indefinite action from October 26.
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has announced a nationwide bank strike on September 11, 2026, raising the possibility of disruption in banking services across India. Public sector banks are expected to be among those most affected.
The strike falls on a Friday. It will be followed by Saturday and Sunday, which are bank holidays. September 14 is also a bank holiday in some states on account of Ganesh Chaturthi. As a result, customers in many parts of the country could face a four-day disruption in banking operations.
Three-Day Strike Planned From September 28
The UFBU has also announced a three-day nationwide strike from September 28. This coincides with the half-yearly closure of banks. The unions have also warned of an indefinite nationwide strike from October 26 if their demands are not addressed by the government and the bank managements.
UFBU is an umbrella organisation representing seven bank employees’ and officers’ unions. Its key demands include implementation of five-day banking, changes to the performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, and improvements in pension-related benefits.
Proposal For Five-Day Banking
The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had agreed to the 5-day banking proposal on March 8, 2024. Under the proposal, bank employees would work from Monday to Friday, with daily working hours increasing by 40 minutes. The proposal was later sent to the government for approval.
Unions Oppose Government PLI Scheme
The unions have also raised objections to the government’s PLI scheme for bank officers in Scale IV and above.
Under the government framework, officers in Scale IV and above can receive PLI of up to 365 days of basic pay, depending on individual performance. Workmen employees and officers up to Scale III can receive a maximum of 15 days’ basic pay plus dearness allowance (DA).
The unions argue that this differs from their understanding with the IBA, under which PLI would be linked to the overall performance of individual banks and follow a uniform structure for employees and officers up to Scale VII.
The PLI dispute is currently under conciliation before the Chief Labour Commissioner and is also pending before the Delhi High Court. According to a PTI report, AIBEA general secretary C H Venkatachalam has alleged that the Department of Financial Services has advised banks to implement the scheme despite the ongoing proceedings.
Pension And NPS Demands Also Pending
The unions have also raised demands for pension updation and improvement, 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).
Bank Strike Deadline And Key Dates
September 11: Nationwide bank strike
September 12-13: Saturday and Sunday bank holidays
September 14: Ganesh Chaturthi holiday in some states
September 28-30: Proposed three-day nationwide strike
October 26: Proposed indefinite strike from this date if demands are not addressed
