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Bank Strike Threatens Four-Day Disruption Across Telangana Branches
Bank employees across India plan to stop working on Thursday.
This could make some bank branches in Telangana work slowly or close for four days.
The timing also includes a weekend and the Ganesh Chaturthi holiday.
Customers may have trouble with tellers, cheques and loan applications.
ATMs and online, mobile and UPI payments are expected to keep working.
The unions want banks to close every Saturday.
They say this plan was included in a 2024 agreement but still needs government approval.
Talks did not give them a clear date, so they kept the strike plans.
More strikes may happen later if no agreement is reached.
United Forum of Bank Unions will begin a nationwide strike on Thursday, potentially disrupting branch services in Telangana for four days.
The disruption coincides with the second Saturday, Sunday and Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14.
Teller transactions, cheque processing and loan work may be affected, while digital banking and ATMs are expected to remain available.
The unions are demanding a definite timeline for five-day banking, which they say was agreed in the March 2024 settlement.
Further strikes are planned for September 28-30 and from October 26 if the demands remain unresolved.
- Who
- Employees represented by the United Forum of Bank Unions are planning the strike, following talks with bank and government officials.
- What
- A nationwide bank employees’ strike is expected to disrupt normal branch services, with five-day banking as the main demand.
- Where
- The strike is nationwide, with customers in Telangana specifically warned about possible disruption.
- When
- The strike is scheduled for Thursday, followed by the second Saturday, Sunday and Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14; additional strikes are planned for September 28-30 and from October 26.
- Why
- The unions want a definite government timeline for implementing five-day banking, which they say was agreed in March 2024.
Bank Unions
Government and Bank Management
Five-day banking timeline
Bank Unions
UFBU says five-day banking was agreed in the March 2024 bipartite settlement and wants a definite timeline for government approval.
Government and Bank Management
Joint Secretary Shalini Pandit said the government could not provide a timeline because several stakeholders had to be considered.
Strike decision
Bank Unions
The unions said they could reconsider the strike if they received a positive response or definite timeline, but maintained the strike after receiving neither.
Government and Bank Management
The government and labour authorities held conciliation talks, but no assurance was given that met the unions’ conditions.
Branch operations
Bank Unions
UFBU’s strike is expected to affect normal branch services, including teller, cheque and loan-related work.
Government and Bank Management
State Bank of India said it would make arrangements for normal functioning, although work could still be affected.
Key facts
- Main demand
- A definite timeline for five-day banking, with all Saturdays becoming holidays.
- Proposed work schedule
- Employees would work 40 minutes longer from Monday through Friday.
- Expected disruption
- Teller transactions, cheque work and loan processing may be affected.
- Expected available services
- UPI, mobile banking, internet banking and ATMs are expected to remain available.
- Talks
- Conciliation talks were held on September 8 and 9 without a definite timeline.
- Other strike dates
- UFBU has notified strikes from September 28 to 30 and a continuous strike from October 26.
- Related decision
- The Department of Financial Services advised banks to keep the 2025-26 Performance Linked Incentive scheme for Scale IV to VIII officers in abeyance and discuss it bilaterally.
Quotes
United Forum of Bank Unions
The umbrella organization representing the participating bank unions
“without any definite development in the issue, we cannot reconsider our strike call”
deccanchronicle.com
“5 Day Banking is a priority issue”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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