Bank strike September 11 could affect branch operations in parts of India, although the Reserve Bank of India’s holiday calendar does not list the date as a bank holiday in Delhi, according to a Times of India report. The disruption is separate from closures linked to the 18th Brics Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.
The United Forum of Bank Unions has called a nationwide strike over demands including a five-day banking week, changes to the Performance Linked Incentive scheme and other unresolved issues. The forum claims to represent more than 90% of the banking workforce. Several major banks have warned customers that branch and office operations could be affected.
State Bank of India said it had made arrangements for normal functioning at its branches and offices but acknowledged that work across the bank could still be impacted. Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank, Indian Bank and Bank of Maharashtra have also issued advisories about possible disruption on September 11.
The RBI calendar lists September 11 as a bank holiday in Rajasthan, where branches are scheduled to remain closed because of elections in the jurisdiction of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Delhi is not listed for a bank holiday on that date, so branches in the national capital are not scheduled to close merely because of the summit.
Customers in Gujarat could face a longer interruption. The Maha Gujarat Bank Employees’ Association has called a strike from September 11 to 13. September 12 is the second Saturday and September 13 is a Sunday, meaning public-sector bank branches in the state could remain closed for three consecutive days.
The association has said that about 5,400 branches and 75,000 employees and officers are expected to participate in Gujarat. It has estimated that transactions worth around Rs 15,000 crore could be affected.
Bank unions have also announced a three-day strike from September 28 to 30, followed by an indefinite strike from October 26 if their demands are not addressed. Customers are advised to check their bank’s latest branch-level advisory before visiting on September 11.
