The UFBU has referred to as for a one-day strike on September 11, adopted by a three-day strike from September 28 to 30. If its calls for should not addressed, the unions have introduced an indefinite strike from October 26, 2026.
The discussion board contains seven unions — AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, AIBOA, BEFI, INBOC and INBEF — and represents staff throughout public sector, non-public, overseas, regional rural and cooperative banks, in keeping with the union launch.
As per the official assertion, the unions have raised 4 key calls for, implementation of the five-day banking week, withdrawal of the federal government’s Efficiency Linked Incentive scheme, modification of the inducement scheme via bilateral discussions, and backbone of pending residual points.
The demand for a five-day banking week has been pending for a number of years. Based on the unions, banks agreed in precept to maneuver in the direction of a five-day week in 2015, when the second and fourth Saturdays had been declared holidays.
The difficulty was revisited in 2020 and later formalised via the wage settlement signed on March 8, 2024. Underneath the association, financial institution workers agreed to work a further 40 minutes on daily basis from Monday to Friday in return for all Saturdays being declared holidays.
The unions mentioned the settlement was really useful to the Finance Ministry greater than two years in the past however continues to be awaiting authorities approval.In addition they argued that five-day working weeks are already adopted by establishments together with the Reserve Financial institution of India, LIC, GIC and NABARD, together with different authorities and personal establishments.
The unions mentioned customer support hours wouldn’t be affected as workers have agreed to longer working hours from Monday to Friday.
The Efficiency Linked Incentive scheme is one other main level of dispute.
The unions mentioned the PLI scheme was launched via a 2020 settlement and utilized uniformly to financial institution workers, from housekeeping employees to Basic Managers. Underneath that association, incentives ranged from one to a most of 15 days’ wages, relying on the efficiency of the financial institution.
Nonetheless, in November 2024, the Division of Monetary Companies directed banks to undertake a revised incentive system primarily based on particular person efficiency for Scale IV to VII officers. The unions mentioned this covers round 40,000 officers, or about 5 per cent of the trade’s 8-lakh-strong workforce.
Underneath the revised system, senior officers might obtain incentives of as much as three hundred and sixty five days’ wages, in contrast with a most of 15 days for the remaining 95 per cent of workers, in keeping with the unions.
UFBU had referred to as a strike over the difficulty in March 2025, which was deferred after the Chief Labour Commissioner requested the Indian Banks’ Affiliation and unions to barter modifications.
The unions mentioned that regardless of submitting proposed modifications, the federal government directed banks in March 2026 to implement the system. The matter was subsequently taken to the Delhi Excessive Court docket and stays pending, in keeping with the discharge.
The newest escalation got here after the Division of Monetary Companies once more directed banks on August 21, 2026 to proceed with implementation. The unions have alleged that this violates the established order requirement underneath the Industrial Disputes Act whereas the dispute stays earlier than the Chief Labour Commissioner.
UFBU has termed the revised scheme discriminatory, arguing that it’s opposite to the uniform incentive association agreed via bilateral negotiations.
The unions additionally mentioned the revised system would create a major disparity between senior officers and the remainder of the workforce, with the inducement price for the highest 5 per cent of workers probably exceeding the whole incentive paid to the remaining 95 per cent.
The unions additional objected to the proposed classification of officers into performer and non-performer classes, saying it will be unrelated to their precise efficiency and would undermine collective bargaining.
Union leaders, together with C.H. Venkatachalam of AIBEA, Rupam Roy of AIBOC, L. Chandrasekhar of NCBE, Sanjay Khan of AIBOA, Debasish Basu Choudhary of BEFI, Prem Makker of INBOC and O.P. Sharma of INBEF, mentioned the agitation had been “compelled on the Unions as a result of actions of the Authorities and managements.”
