A three-day nationwide bank strike is set to begin tomorrow, September 28, potentially disrupting branch-based banking services until September 30. The strike has been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), with employees primarily demanding a five-day working week.

The timing could cause greater inconvenience for customers as the strike follows the September 26-27 weekend and coincides with the half-yearly closing of banks on September 30. In effect, regular branch services could remain disrupted for several consecutive days.

What Is The Main Demand Of Bank Employees?

Bank unions are seeking a Monday-to-Friday working week, with all Saturdays declared bank holidays. At present, branches generally remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays, while the first, third and fifth Saturdays are working days.

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The demand for a five-day banking week has been a long-standing issue raised by bank employee unions and was also included in discussions between the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and bank unions.

The UFBU has called employees to observe the strike from September 28 to 30.

Can You Deposit Cash During The Bank Strike?

Customers needing to deposit cash at a physical bank branch could face difficulties during the strike because the process may require assistance from bank employees.

However, Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs), Automated Deposit and Withdrawal Machines (ADWMs) and other eligible automated facilities can continue to be used where available.

Banks have also advised customers to rely on digital alternatives, including UPI, mobile banking, internet banking, ATMs, Business Correspondent (BC) points and Customer Service Points (CSPs).

Banks Open Today, Sunday

To minimise the impact of the strike, public sector banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) have been directed to keep branches and certain banking infrastructure operational today, Sunday, September 27.

The move is intended to give customers an additional opportunity to complete branch-dependent transactions before the strike begins tomorrow.

Which Services Could Be Hit?

Services requiring physical presence, bank staff or documentation could face delays during the strike. These include cash transactions at branches, cheque-related processing and other branch-dependent requests.

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Digital banking services are expected to remain available, although customers may experience delays in services that ultimately require manual processing.

With September 30 also marking the half-yearly closing of banks, customers with urgent branch-related work may face additional delays during the strike period.