If you have urgent work at your bank branch, today may be your last chance until October. State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and several other public sector banks are open on Sunday, September 27, ahead of a proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 to 30.
The special opening applies to public sector banks (PSBs) and regional rural banks (RRBs). Services will depend on operational arrangements and staffing at individual branches.
Without it, customers could have faced up to five straight days without branch banking. September 26 and 27 fall on a Saturday and Sunday, and the strike begins right after the weekend.
The decision was taken after a September 21 meeting between officials from the Finance Ministry, public sector banks, regional rural banks, the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and NABARD. The Reserve Bank of India approved the opening of bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests for the day.
Banks Open Today
Public sector banks: State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India, Indian Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, UCO Bank, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank.
Regional rural banks (28): Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank, Arunachal Pradesh Rural Bank, Assam Gramin Bank, Bihar Gramin Bank, Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank, Gujarat Gramin Bank, Haryana Gramin Bank, Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Grameen Bank, Jharkhand Gramin Bank, Karnataka Grameena Bank, Kerala Grameena Bank, Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank, Maharashtra Gramin Bank, Manipur Rural Bank, Meghalaya Rural Bank, Mizoram Rural Bank, Nagaland Rural Bank, Odisha Grameen Bank, Puducherry Grama Bank, Punjab Gramin Bank, Rajasthan Gramin Bank, Tamil Nadu Grama Bank, Telangana Grameena Bank, Tripura Gramin Bank, Uttar Pradesh Gramin Bank, Uttarakhand Gramin Bank and West Bengal Gramin Bank.
The arrangement does not automatically extend to private sector banks.
Why Are Bank Employees Striking?
The UFBU, which says it represents about 90% of the banking workforce, has made the five-day banking week its main demand. Under this, all Saturdays would be holidays. Banks currently remain closed only on the second and fourth Saturdays.
According to the UFBU, the five-day week was agreed upon in the March 2024 wage revision settlement but is still awaiting government approval.
Unions had also sought withdrawal of the performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. The government has kept that scheme in abeyance, but the five-day demand remains unresolved. Other demands include pension updates, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners, and an option for NPS-covered employees to switch to the old pension scheme.
Talks Failed, Strike Stands
This is not the first strike this month. Bank employees held a one-day strike on September 11. A conciliation meeting before the three-day strike remained inconclusive, and unions said there had been no positive development on the five-day week.
C H Venkatachalam, general secretary of the All India Bank Employees Association, acknowledged the impact, saying a three-day banking strike is "a big issue" for a country like India. The UFBU has said it would consider deferring the strike if there is concrete progress on the five-day demand.
Why It Matters: Bad Timing for Banks and Businesses
The strike falls at a sensitive time. If it goes ahead, it will coincide with the half-yearly closing of the banking sector on September 30. For businesses, that means the end of the quarter arrives with branches shut for three working days.
The dispute may not end there either. Unions have announced an indefinite strike from October 26 if their demands are still unresolved after this strike, which would fall in the middle of the festive season.
What Will Work and What May Not
Many public sector banks have advised customers to use digital channels such as mobile banking, ATMs, internet banking, business correspondent (BC) points and UPI if the strike goes ahead.
In practice, this means payments through UPI and apps should continue, but branch-based work, such as counter cash deposits, cheque-related services and document submissions, may be affected at public sector banks.
What Customers Should Do Today
- Complete any urgent branch work today, especially cash deposits, cheque submissions and document-related tasks.
- Withdraw enough cash for the next few days, in case ATMs run low.
- Keep your UPI and mobile banking apps active and updated.
- If you bank with a private bank, check with your branch directly, as the Sunday opening does not automatically apply.
- Watch for SMS and app alerts from your bank, as the situation could change if unions defer the strike.
The Sunday opening softens the blow, but does not remove it. With the strike set to coincide with the half-yearly close and unions warning of an indefinite strike in late October, the dispute over the five-day banking week has become one customers can no longer ignore.
With inputs from IANS.
