The United Forum of Bank Unions, comprising seven unions/associations, namely AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBOC and INBEF, has served strike notice proposing an All India Strike on 11.09.2026, followed by further strike action on 28th, 29th and 30th September 2026 and, thereafter, an indefinite strike in the month of October, in support of the demands raised in the strike notice.
The demands raised by the United Forum of Bank Unions are as under:
- Implementation of 5-day banking as agreed in the Settlement/Joint Note dated 08.03.2024.
- Withdrawal of the Government’s unilateral and discriminatory PLI Scheme and keeping its implementation in abeyance.
- Modification of the PLI Scheme through bilateral discussions with the unions.
- Resolution of residual issues.
A meeting was held between UFBU and CLC on 8 September 2026 to find out a solution to the strike.
What DFS said?
The representative of the Department of Financial Services (DFS) submitted that, with regard to the demands at Sl. Nos. 2 and 3, the Government has already issued a circular addressing the issues relating to the PLI Scheme. It was, therefore, submitted that these demands have been addressed.
Regarding the residual issues at Sl. No. 4, the DFS representative submitted that several proactive measures have recently been taken to address the concerns of the employees, including recruitment in clerical and officer cadre, revision of the recruitment cycle for officers and clerks to address attrition, enhancement of the Staff Welfare Fund from ₹540 crore to ₹845 crore, improvement of the transfer policy with the objective of minimising manual intervention and bringing greater transparency, rationalisation of promotion timelines, and issuance of the circular for the next Bipartite Settlement well in advance. It was further submitted that any other residual issues raised by the unions/associations may be taken up for discussion and resolution.
On the issue of 5-day banking, the DFS representative submitted that the matter involves various stakeholders, and the issue is under consideration. However, no definite timeline could be indicated at this stage. The DFS representative submitted that approximately 50% of the demands raised by the unions have been addressed and appealed to the unions/associations to reconsider and avert the proposed strike.
What IBA said?
The representative of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) also appealed to the unions/associations to reconsider the strike call, particularly in view of the circular issued by the Government regarding the PLI Scheme, which, according to IBA, reflected a positive and forward-looking approach. On the issue of 5-day banking, IBA suggested that the matter is under consideration and as such strike may be averted.
What UFBU said?
The representatives of the unions/associations submitted that 5-day banking is their principal demand and that they have been pursuing the matter since 2024. They stated that despite the passage of considerable time, no final decision has been taken by the Government.
Final Decision
The DFS representative further appealed to the unions/associations to reconsider the strike call in view of the BRICS Meeting being hosted by India on 11.09.2026. It was submitted that, as regards 5-day banking, the matter is under consideration.
Despite the appeals made by the representatives of DFS and IBA, the unions/associations did not agree to reconsider the proposed strike call. They reiterated that, in the absence of any favourable decision or definite timeline regarding 5-day banking, they were unable to defer the strike. They, however, stated that in the event of any positive development on the issue, they would reconsider their decision at any time before the scheduled strike.
Meeting will be held again
In view of the divergent positions of the parties, no common understanding could be arrived at and the stalemate continued. Accordingly, the conciliation proceedings are adjourned to 09.09.2026 at 1:30 PM through Video Conference (VC).
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