The banking system is expected to be affected across the country on January 27, 2026. Around 800,000 bank employees and officers are scheduled to go on a one-day nationwide strike.

Bank employees to hit the streets on January 27th; here's why

Bank Unions Strike: The banking system is expected to be affected across the country on January 27, 2026. Nearly 800,000 bank employees and officers are scheduled to hold a one-day nationwide strike. Bank employees are protesting to demand a five-day work week. This movement will include public, private, foreign, rural, and cooperative banks....

The reason for the strike is the demand for a 5-day work week.

The bank employees' strike is driven by their demand for a five-day working week, a demand that has been under discussion for a long time. This proposal, from the Indian Banks' Association, has been pending with the government for the past two years, but no final decision has been reached.

According to the unions, this demand was part of the agreement reached between the United Forum of Bank Unions and the Indian Banks' Association on December 7, 2023, and was later reiterated in the settlement and joint note dated March 8, 2024.

This proposal calls for a 40-minute daily work schedule from Monday to Friday and for all Saturdays to be declared a holiday. Unable to meet these demands, bank unions have decided to hold a nationwide strike on January 27th. 

These organizations provided support. 

The nationwide strike is being organised under the leadership of the United Forum of Bank Unions, a joint platform of nine major organisations of bank employees and officers: All India Bank Officers' Confederation, All India Bank Employees Association, National Confederation of Bank Employees, All India Bank Officers' Association, Bank Employees Federation of India, Indian National Bank Employees Federation, Indian National Bank Officers' Congress, National Organisation of Bank Workers, and National Organisation of Bank Officers.

Banks may remain closed for 4 consecutive days.

Customers may face difficulties with banking transactions in the last week of January. Banks are expected to be closed for four consecutive days. January 24th is the fourth Saturday, and January 25th will be a Sunday, a weekly holiday.

Banking services may be affected due to Republic Day on January 26 and the bank employees' strike on January 27. Therefore, people are advised to plan their banking needs in advance.