Bank unions to strike Sept. 11 over five-day banking, pension issues

Unions of Indian bank employees have issued a nationwide strike call on September 11 with a demand to introduce a five-day week at an earlier stage. The strike was called by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an organisation of nine bank employees and officers’ unions, on Sunday. UFBU said it has noticed a “negative response” of the government toward most of its demands, The Economic Times reported.

A strike on Sept. 11, a Friday, may result in disruption of banking operations for four days in several parts of the country if combined with the weekend.

Sept. 14 is also a holiday for banks in some states due to Ganesh Chaturthi, another bank employee union said. UFBU is advocating for early implementation of the five-day banking week, which was finalised in a March agreement between the Indian Banks Association and unions, and it’s contesting some features of the performance-based incentive structure. Issues related to pension benefits also remain. Bank unions have threatened to step up their protest, announcing a 3-day national strike beginning Sept. 28, and an indefinite strike from Oct. 26.