Bank Closed On 27th January: If you are planning to go to the bank for some work on 27th January, then first find out whether your bank is also closed on Tuesday. Bank employees’ unions have announced a nationwide strike on January 27 to press for their long-pending demand of a 5-day work week. This strike has been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). In such a situation, there is a possibility that banking services across the country will be affected.

The main demand of the unions is that the system of five days work a week and two days holiday should be implemented in banks also. UFBU says that in the wage revision agreement signed with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) in March 2024, it was agreed to give holiday on all Saturdays, but till now it has not been implemented. Bank employees are going on strike in protest against this delay.

Holiday every second and fourth Saturday

At present, bank employees get leave only on the second and fourth Saturday of every month. Apart from this, work is done in banks on remaining Saturdays, due to which employees have to work six days for two weeks in a month. Unions say that this system is no longer appropriate with time.

All major banks of the country are on strike

All major government banks across the country will participate in this strike, including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, Indian Bank and other public sector banks. Bank employees have already started demonstrations in many cities and have warned that if their demands are not met, the agitation will intensify.

What is the demand of bank unions?

Bank unions have made it clear that with the implementation of the five-day working system, working hours will not be reduced. The union says workers are prepared to work about 40 minutes extra a day, Monday through Friday, to avoid any reduction in total weekly working time. This proposal has been sent to the government, but no final decision has been taken on it for the last two years.

Strike till midnight of 27th January

UFBU argues that RBI, LIC, stock exchange And most government offices are already following a five-day work week. In such a situation, there is still no concrete reason to maintain the arrangement of six days work in banks. This strike will start from midnight of 26th January and will continue till midnight of 27th January. During this period, banking services are likely to be affected across the country, which includes cash transactions, check clearance and other branch work.

UFBU has already sent a strike notice under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 to the Indian Banks Association (IBA), the Chief Labor Commissioner and the Department of Financial Services. According to the unions, despite the agreement signed between IBA and UFBU on 7 December 2023 and the joint note issued on 8 March 2024, the final approval of the government has not been received yet.

Demand for 5 days work is nothing new

The unions have clarified that the demand for five days work is nothing new. It started in 2015, when the system of giving holiday on second and fourth Saturday was implemented in banks. After this, several rounds of talks took place, but till now the final approval has not been given on the holiday of all Saturdays.

Important advice for bank customers

The unions say that due to no concrete progress in the talks for the last nine months, they have once again had to adopt the path of agitation. In such a situation, common people are being advised to complete their important banking work before January 27.