Why was the bank strike deferred?

By Sohail Khan 28 September 2026, 8:22 am

Synopsis

In a recent meeting held on September 27, the Indian Banks' Association and the United Forum of Bank Unions engaged in crucial talks about an impending bank strike. While the three-day nationwide strike was postponed rather than cancelled, both parties have committed to establishing a high-level committee.

Image for Bank strike deferred after IBA-UFBU talks: Why was it deferred and what happened to five-day working week demand — Why was the bank strike deferred?

Following discussions between the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) on Sunday, September 27, 2026, the planned three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 to September 30 has been deferred.

The three-day strike was scheduled to begin today on Monday, September 28. The unions had called the strike over several pending demands, with the implementation of a five-day banking week being one of the key issues.

Due to the proposed strike, public sector banks and regional rural banks were open on Sunday, September 27 as per the RBI’s instructions.

The latest decision does not mean that the demand for a five-day banking week has been accepted.

Instead, both sides have agreed to continue discussions and set up a high-level committee to examine the issue of declaring the remaining Saturdays as holidays.

The latest round of discussions between the IBA negotiating committee and UFBU took place on September 27.

The meeting followed an earlier discussion on September 23, when senior IBA and bank management representatives met the leadership of the UFBU. At that meeting, the important role played by bank employees and officers in the growth of public sector banks was recognised, and both sides agreed to continue discussions to find a solution to the issues raised by the unions.

High-level committee set up to examine five-day banking

One of the most important decisions taken during the meeting was the formation of a high-level committee comprising representatives of the the IBA and the UFBU.

The committee will immediately take up the issue of declaring the remaining Saturdays as holidays. It will examine different alternatives, consult stakeholders and work towards a solution that is acceptable to all concerned.

Importantly, the committee will also consider the impact on bank customers while looking for a solution.

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