Overview
- With the strike set for Tuesday, branch services could be unavailable from January 24 to 27 due to the weekend and Republic Day closures preceding it.
- Cash counters, cheque clearing, demand drafts and other over-the-counter services are expected to be disrupted, while ATMs and digital channels should remain available.
- UFBU, an umbrella of nine unions, says more than 800,000 employees are expected to participate, primarily from public sector and older private banks.
- Official conciliation minutes note the IBA recommended a five-day week to the government during 2023–24 wage talks, and the DFS told unions a decision is still pending.
- Unions propose adding 40 minutes to weekday hours to offset Saturday closures, and branches of large private banks such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank may be less affected.