Bank Strike Today: Public Sector Banks Likely to Be Disrupted
Public sector banks will experience their most difficult day on Tuesday, January 27, because bank employee unions have organized a nationwide strike to secure a five-day workweek, which would result in all Saturdays becoming bank holidays. The upcoming three workdays will provide customers with restricted banking access because all banking operations will remain closed after the Republic Day holiday, which starts on January 25 and January 26.
The State Bank of India intends to operate its branches and offices throughout the day, but interruptions to their services will still occur. The bank will operate some branches as usual, while other branches will remain closed, which will create problems for customers who need to complete their banking work at the last minute or who must wait in lengthy lines.
Digital banking will serve as a vital resource for many people, and they must develop their ability to remain composed during extended waiting periods. The strike demonstrates current efforts to update banking hours, which would enable public sector banks to adopt the same workweek schedule that other industries already use.
“While the Bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices on the day of strike, it is likely that work in the Bank may be impacted by the Strike.”
Most public sector banks have already informed their customers about potential service disruptions.
Public Sector Affected With Bank Strike Today
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State Bank of India (SBI) – partial operations in some branches
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Punjab National Bank (PNB)
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Bank of Baroda
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Union Bank of India
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Canara Bank
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Central Bank of India
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Indian Bank
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Other major public sector banks represented by UFBU
Private Sector Affected With Bank Strike Today:
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ICICI Bank
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HDFC Bank
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Kotak Mahindra Bank
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Axis Bank
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YES Bank
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Other private sector banks not part of UFBU
Notes:
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Digital banking channels (netbanking, mobile apps, ATMs) will largely remain functional across all banks.
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Public sector bank customers may experience service delays or closures depending on branch availability.
Why Is There Bank Strike Today?
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), which represents nine major public sector banks and several old-generation private banks, is proceeding with its planned actions. The union chose to go on strike after their discussions with the Chief Labour Commissioner reached an unsuccessful outcome, demanding a work schedule that includes five days of work with all Saturdays designated as holidays. Banks currently receive only Sundays and their second and fourth Saturdays as official holidays.
The UFBU highlights the double standard, as public sector banks seek a five-day workweek while the RBI, LIC, GIC, stock exchanges, and government offices already operate on that schedule. Customers, brace yourselves for a service hiccup!
“There would be no loss of man-hours as we have agreed to work an extra 40 minutes daily from Monday to Friday,” UFBU said.
This proposal was part of the 12th Bipartite Settlement signed with the Indian Banks’ Association in March 2024, but formal government notification is still pending.
(With Inputs)
Aishwarya is a journalism graduate with over three years of experience thriving in the buzzing corporate media world. She’s got a knack for decoding business news, tracking the twists and turns of the stock market, covering the masala of the entertainment world, and sometimes her stories come with just the right sprinkle of political commentary. She has worked with several organizations, interned at ZEE and gained professional skills at TV9 and News24, And now is learning and writing at NewsX, she’s no stranger to the newsroom hustle. Her storytelling style is fast-paced, creative, and perfectly tailored to connect with both the platform and its audience. Moto: Approaching every story from the reader’s point of view, backing up her insights with solid facts.
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