Bank employees across India will go on a two-day nationwide strike on March 24 and 25, 2025, which could impact banking services. The strike, organized by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU)—a coalition of nine bank employee unions—aims to address several key demands, including a five-day workweek and adequate staff recruitment.
Why Are Bank Employees Going on Strike?
The UFBU has listed multiple demands as reasons for the strike:
🔹 Implementation of a Five-Day Workweek for bank employees.
🔹 Urgent recruitment of staff across all levels to address workforce shortages.
🔹 Appointment of Employee/Officer Directors in Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
🔹 Withdrawal of performance-based reviews and incentives introduced by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), which employees fear may impact job security.
🔹 Greater autonomy for Public Sector Banks (PSBs), reducing DFS’s micro-management of policy matters.
🔹 Resolution of pending issues with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).
🔹 Amendment of the Gratuity Act to raise the gratuity limit to ₹25 lakh, aligning it with government employees’ benefits and providing tax exemptions.
Which Unions Are Participating?
The strike is backed by major banking unions under the UFBU umbrella, including:
✅ All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA)
✅ All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC)
✅ National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE)
✅ All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA)
✅ Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI)
How Will the Strike Affect You?
- Banking services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearing, and loan approvals may be disrupted.
- Online banking, UPI, and ATM services are expected to remain operational, but cash availability in ATMs may be affected.
- Customers should plan transactions in advance to avoid inconvenience.
What’s Next?
The government and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) may hold discussions with unions to avert the strike. However, if negotiations fail, banking services across the country could be impacted on March 24 and 25, 2025.
📢 Stay tuned for updates and plan your banking transactions accordingly!
