Bank unions announce September 11, 2026 strike; declare 3-day nationwide strike, demand five-day working week

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has announced a September 11, 2026, strike, a series of nationwide strikes, including an indefinite strike, to focus on reforms in the banking sector. The key demands include the introduction of a five-day banking week and a review of the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

The UFBU, which represents major bank unions including the AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBEF and the INBOC, has urged the government to fulfil its commitment to introduce a five-day banking.

As part of the protest, bank unions have announced an all-India strike on September 11, 2026.

Upcoming bank strike dates

The September 11 strike will be followed by a three-day nationwide strike on September 28, 29 and 30, 2026, according to a letter from the UFBU posted on its official X account.

The unions have also warned of an indefinite nationwide strike from October 26, 2026, if their demands are not addressed.

What bank unions say about five-day banking

The UFBU has been pushing for a five-day banking week for several years. In its statement dated August 23, 2026, the forum said that the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) had already agreed to the five-day-work-a-week proposal under the 12th Bipartite Settlement/9th Joint Note signed on March 8, 2024.

Under the proposal, working hours would increase by 40 minutes from Monday to Friday to compensate for the additional weekly holiday. The proposal was subsequently recommended to the government.

The UFBU said that the proposal has remained pending with the government for more than two years.

Why are bank unions opposing the revised PLI scheme?

The PLI scheme is another major issue being raised by the bank unions.

According to the UFBU, the unions have told the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC), and the IBA that implementing the government's revised PLI scheme could impose a significant financial burden on banks.

What is the PLI issue raised by bank unions?

The UFBU said the unions and the IBA had earlier reached an understanding on how the PLI scheme should work.

According to the unions, PLI was to be linked to the overall performance of the bank, rather than being structured differently for individual employees. They also said there was an understanding that the number of PLI days would be uniform for all employees and officers up to Scale VII.

The unions are now seeking a review of the revised PLI framework and want the earlier understanding between the unions and the IBA to be taken into account.