Archive · 29 Jan 2026
Nationwide Bank Strike Disrupts Services
After a long weekend, bank employees went on strike.
This meant most banks and ATMs were closed.
People who needed to use banks, like the elderly or shop owners, had a hard time because they couldn't withdraw cash.
The strike was organized by bank employee unions who want to work only five days a week.
Even some private banks had to close because of the strike.
Many ATMs were also not working, making it difficult for people to get money.
The unions say the strike was successful because most banks and ATMs were closed.
Around 800,000 bank employees and officers participated in the strike, affecting services like cash deposits, withdrawals, and cheque clearances.
The unions are demanding that all Saturdays be declared holidays, not just the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.
Banking services across the country were disrupted on Tuesday due to a nationwide strike by bank employees and officers.
The strike was called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) to demand the immediate implementation of a five-day work week.
Most branches of public sector banks were either fully closed or partially operational, affecting services like cash deposits, withdrawals, and cheque clearances.
Around 800,000 bank employees and officers participated in the strike, which was described as a 'total success' by the UFBU.
The unions are pressing for government approval to declare all remaining Saturdays as holidays, in line with previous recommendations by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).
- Who
- Unions of public sector banks and the general public
- What
- A nationwide bank strike causing disruptions
- When
- Tuesday, following a long weekend
- Where
- Nationwide, with specific mentions of Calcutta (Kolkata)
- Why
- To demand the immediate implementation of a five-day work week
- Strike Duration
- One day (Tuesday)
- Strike Participants
- Unions of public sector banks
- Demand
- Immediate implementation of a five-day work week
- ATMs Affected
- Around 9,000 in Bengal
- Union Involved
- United Forum of Bank Unions
- Meeting Outcome
- No resolution
- Strike Participants Count
- Around 800,000 bank employees and officers
- Banks Affected
- Public sector banks, private sector banks, foreign banks, regional rural banks, and cooperative banks
