Banks to remain open on Sunday before 3-Day strike, Know details

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All the banks will remain open this Sunday as the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called fourth a three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 till September 30. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the operation of bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests this Sunday that is on September 27.

Note that September 26 and 27 happens to fall as bank holiday as the former is the fourth Saturday and the latter is the Sunday with the addition of the three days bank strike, the disruption could extend to five days. This leads to the latest decision to open banks on Sunday (September 27).

The Finance Ministry has issued a notice regarding this, which clarified that to avoid inconvenience to customers due to prolonged disruption in bank operation the government has decided that all Public Sector Banks and Regional Rural Banks will remain open on Sunday, September 27.

This will allow customers to finish some of the essential or urgent banking needs before the disruption period.

“The welfare and convenience of bank customers remains the government’s foremost priority. The government and bank managements have appealed to unions to defer the proposed strike, and have also taken measures to ensure that essential banking services continue uninterrupted,” the ministry said in the release.

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The primary demand of the strike is a five-day banking among others. The other demands include an update and improvement of pension, a uniform dearness allowance formula for all pensioners and an option for employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the old pension scheme (OPS).

A conciliation meeting was held between UFBU representatives and the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner on Tuesday, but it remained inconclusive.

“Responding to the appeal made by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), Bank managements to defer the strike, we informed them that if there is any concrete and positive development towards implementation of our demand for introduction of 5 days banking, UFBU will consider the same,” UFBU said in a statement after the meeting.

Many public sector banks have issued advisories to their customers to use digital channels such as Mobile Banking, ATM, Internet Banking, BC Point and UPI for banking needs during the period of the strike.

The proposed strike period also coincides with the half-yearly closing of banks on September 30, a date of particular significance for reconciliation, provisioning and treasury and market operations.

Also Read: RBI issues final Basel III market risk capital rules for banks, to take effect from April 2027

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