Bank Unions Strike on January 27, Tomorrow: Banks May Remain Closed Over 5-Day Work Week Demand

A nationwide strike has been announced by public sector bank unions across India on January 27, 2026, to demand implementation of a 5-day workweek, as per news reports.  

This comes amidst prior agreements yet to be enforced, potentially leading to a 3-day closure of banking services due to preceding holidays on January 25 and January 26. 

Reason Behind January 27 Bank Strike Across India 

The strike call led by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), involving 9 major public sector bank unions, is rooted in a March 2024 wage agreement between the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and bank unions.  

As per the agreement, all Saturdays were to be declared as holidays. Currently, only the 2nd and 4th Saturdays are non-working days. The unions state that there has been no implementation despite the formal agreement. 

Union's Demand for 5-Day Workweek 

The primary demand behind the strike is for banks to shift to a 5-day workweek without reduction in total weekly man-hours. Employees have already agreed to extend daily working hours by an additional 40 minutes from Monday to Friday to cover for the change.  

The unions argued that several financial institutions like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), LIC, and stock exchanges already follow a 5-day week. 

Read More: Challenges of 5 Day Banking Workweek in 2026: What Stands in the Way?! 

Banks Likely to be Affected by the Strike 

If the strike goes ahead, the impact will mostly be on government-owned banks such as State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and Bank of India. These banks have already alerted customers about potential service disruptions.  

Branches of private sector banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank are not expected to be affected by the strike. 

Conciliation Efforts by Labour Commissioner 

The Chief Labour Commissioner held discussions with stakeholders on January 23 and January 24 to try and resolve the matter. However, according to UFBU, there was no successful outcome from these conciliation meetings, and the strike notice was upheld. 

Conclusion 

The UFBU strike call for January 27, 2026, may result in service disruptions mainly across public sector banks. With January 25 and January 26 being holidays, banking services could be affected for 3 straight days. Unions continue to seek enforcement of the previously agreed 5-day workweek terms that are yet to be implemented. 

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