Will banks open today? Here's everything you need to know on Nationwide Union Strike

United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of 9 bank staff association, which had issued a call for two-day all India strike call from March 24 to press for their different demands, including a 5-day week and proper recruitment in all cadres, has now deferred it. Banking operations and branch operations will thus function normally.

Two days of relentless strike on March 24 and 25

The call for strike issued by UFBU had also demanded filling up the workmen/officer directors' post in public sector banks. Following proper discussions and deliberations, it had been decided to start an agitational programme culminating in two days of relentless strike on March 24 and 25, 2025, UFBU had stated previously in a release. Apart from it, the UFBU had called for immediate withdrawal of the recent Department of Financial Services (DFS) directives on performance review and performance-linked incentives, which are job-unsafe and result in division among employees.

Banking ops unaffected

The UFBU charged that micro-management of PSBs on policy issues by DFS subverted the autonomy of respective boards. It also called for settlement of pending issues with Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and for modifying Gratuity Act to raise the limit to Rs 25 lakh on par with scheme for central government employees along with income tax exemption.

 Talks yield breakthrough

UFBU has All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Confederation of India (BEFI) as its members. AIBOC chose to modify the dates of the strike to coincide with the dates as resolved by UFBU being a leading constituent of UFBU, said its general secretary Rupam Roy.