Noida, Aug 24 (APAC Media): The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of bank employee and officer unions, has announced a phased nationwide strike beginning September 11, demanding implementation of a five-day banking week and withdrawal of the revised performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
The unions have announced a one-day strike on September 11, followed by a three-day strike from September 28 to 30. An indefinite strike is scheduled to begin October 26 if the issues remain unresolved.
The five-day banking week has been a long-standing demand of bank employees. The UFBU said the Indian Banks’ Association had agreed to the proposal under the 12th Bipartite Settlement and 9th Joint Note signed in March 2024.
The proposal involves increasing daily working hours from Monday to Friday to compensate for the additional weekly holiday.
We are calling #BankStrike
âš ï¸3 Day Bank Closure
*11 Sep- 1 Day Strike*
12 & 13- Sat & Sunâš ï¸ 5 Days Bank Closure
26, 27- Sat & Sun
*28,29,30 Sep- 3 Day Strike**Indefinite Strike 26 Oct onwards*
We Demand:
👉Implement 5 Days Banking
👉Withdraw discriminatory PLI pic.twitter.com/Dzu8ekqNXD— United Forum of Bank Unions (@UFBUIndia) August 23, 2026
The unions said the proposal has been recommended to the government but is still awaiting approval.
The second major issue is the revised PLI framework issued by the Finance Ministry. The UFBU has termed the scheme discriminatory, arguing that it provides substantially higher incentives to officers in Scale IV and above based on individual performance.
Under the revised framework cited by the unions, officers in Scale IV and above could receive PLI of up to 365 days of basic pay, while workmen and officers up to Scale III would receive a maximum equivalent to 15 days of basic pay plus dearness allowance.
The unions contend that the earlier agreement envisaged PLI based on the overall performance of the bank, with a uniform structure for employees up to Scale VII.
Apart from the two main demands, the UFBU has sought discussions on pending issues, including pension updates, a uniform dearness allowance formula for pensioners and an option for employees covered by the National Pension System to move to the Old Pension Scheme.
The PLI dispute is currently before the Chief Labour Commissioner for conciliation and is also being litigated in the Delhi High Court, the union notice said.
The proposed strikes could affect branch-level banking operations and other services on the strike dates if the programme goes ahead as announced.
–ENDS–
Disclaimer:Â This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available information. APAC Media is not responsible for investment decisions or losses. Please conduct your own research or consult a financial adviser before investing.
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