The Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday that every public sector and regional rural bank will be operational on Sunday, 27 September 2026, a day before a three‑day strike planned by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). The move follows a weekend of national holidays and aims to give customers an extra working day.
The UFBU has demanded a five‑day banking week, better pension benefits, and a uniform dearness allowance for all pensioners. It also wants employees under the National Pension System to be able to switch to the old pension scheme.
In a concession, the government has put the Performance Linked Incentive scheme on hold after talks with the unions. The UFBU said it would consider abandoning the strike if concrete progress is made on its demands.
A conciliation meeting held on Tuesday ended without an agreement, leaving the strike slated for 28, 29 and 30 September. The timing is critical because the end of September involves key banking operations such as reconciliation and treasury activities.
Bank customers now have the full day of 27 September to complete transactions, but the strike could still cripple the banking system once it kicks off. The government is monitoring the situation closely and urging both sides to find a compromise before the deadline.