Bank Unions Announce Nationwide Protest on January 27 – Here’s What You Need to Know

Bank employees across India have renewed pressure on the government over their long-pending demand for a five-day work week, with unions announcing a nationwide protest on Tuesday, January 27. The agitation is aimed at pushing authorities to act on a commitment that unions say was already settled last year.

The bank officers’ body, All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), has said the decision to protest comes after months of silence from the government.

According to the union, the demand for a five-day banking week was part of the wage revision agreement signed with the Indian Banks’ Association in March 2024, but has not yet been implemented.

Why Five-Day Banking?

Union leaders argue that banks are being treated differently from other key institutions. They point out that organisations such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and General Insurance Corporation (GIC) already follow a five-day schedule.

Central and State Government offices also remain shut on Saturdays, leaving banks as one of the few exceptions.

The confederation has stressed that the proposal will not reduce productivity. Bank employees have agreed to extend working hours from Monday to Friday by 40 minutes each day, ensuring that total man-hours remain unchanged. The union says this adjustment balances employee well-being with operational needs.

Will Services Be Affected?

Despite the nationwide protest call, banks are expected to remain open on January 27. However, customers may experience delays or disruptions in some services as staff members participate in demonstrations during working hours.

At present, bank employees get holidays only on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Unions under the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) claim that the remaining Saturdays were meant to be declared holidays as part of earlier agreements, but the decision is still pending.

Over the past few months, bank unions have stepped up their efforts on the ground and online. Along with protests in several cities, bank employees have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to keep their demand in the public spotlight.

The officers’ confederation described the online campaign as a major success, citing high engagement and widespread participation from bank employees across the country. The union says this response reflects growing frustration among staff.

With no clear signal from the government, unions say they have little choice but to escalate their agitation. They maintain that implementing a five-day work week is long overdue and aligns banks with the rest of the financial and public sector ecosystem.

With no response from the government on the demand, unions said the delay has led them to step up their agitation, as they continue to wait for the implementation of the five-day work week agreed earlier.