Industry Odisha Bureau, Aug 25: The United Forum of Bank Unions representing nine separate unions has announced strike action. The nationwide strike will begin on September 11, focusing on multiple unresolved demands significantly. Five-day banking implementation, performance-linked incentive disputes and pension issues form the union’s core complaints.
If the strike materialises, public-sector banking services could face significant operational disruption widely. September 11 falls on a Friday, followed by two consecutive days of bank holidays. This timing creates the potential for four consecutive days of service disruption in several states.
The central demand involves implementing the five-day banking week proposal agreed years earlier. The Indian Banks’ Association endorsed this proposal under the settlement signed March 8, 2024. The system would increase Monday through Friday working hours by an additional forty minutes. However, the government has not implemented the proposal despite its recommendation over two years.
Beyond September 11, the unions have threatened a three-day strike beginning September 28 concurrently. An indefinite nationwide strike from October 26 onwards has been threatened if demands persist.
The unions oppose the government’s performance-linked incentive scheme, citing material disagreement with agreements. The IBA understanding had specified that PLI would link to overall bank performance uniformly. The government scheme instead provides differentiated incentive structures across various grades and officer scales. Scale IV-and-above officers could receive PLI of up to 365 days’ basic pay annually. Workmen and officers up to Scale III would receive a maximum of fifteen days.
The PLI dispute remains under conciliation before the Chief Labour Commissioner of India. The matter is also pending in the Delhi High Court, according to union statements. The unions have alleged that implementation of the government scheme has already commenced substantially. They argue this violates the status quo obligation during ongoing conciliation proceedings presently.
Pension-related demands form another significant component of the wider industrial and policy dispute. The unions seek pension improvements and a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners. Employees covered under the National Pension System have demanded an option to switch schemes.
The dispute encompasses multiple unresolved components extending far beyond five-day banking implementation alone. Threatened September 28 and October 26 actions could significantly intensify pressure if demands persist.
