Bank Strike: If you’re planning to go to the bank today, wait! Almost all public sector banks (PSBs) in the country will be closed today, Tuesday, January 27, 2026. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), the largest organization of bank employee unions, has called for a nationwide strike to press its key demand for a 5-day workweek.
Following the Sunday and Republic Day holidays (January 26), today’s strike has disrupted banking services for three consecutive days. Check clearance, cash withdrawals, and administrative work at branches will be severely affected. In this article, we’ll explain the employees’ grievances with the government and which banks will remain closed today.
Why are bank employees taking to the streets
This strike by bank employees is not a sudden decision. In fact, the UFBU, a joint organization of nine major unions, has been demanding a holiday on every Saturday for a long time. A conciliation meeting with the Chief Labor Commissioner on January 23rd proved inconclusive, prompting the unions to resort to strike action.
According to C.H. Venkatachalam, General Secretary of the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), “Despite weeks of discussions, we have not received any concrete assurances from the government, which is why we have been forced to resort to this agitation.”
Employees’ Argument
Employees say they are not shirking work. Rupam Roy, General Secretary of the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), clarified that during the wage revision agreement signed in March 2024, an agreement was reached between the IBA and the UFBU to provide all Saturdays as a holiday. The employee unions have also agreed to work 40 minutes extra daily from Monday to Friday to ensure that the total working hours of the bank are not reduced.
L. Chandrashekhar, General Secretary of the National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), says this demand is not directed against customers, but for a humane banking system. Five-day banking has become a vital necessity in today’s world.
Which services will be most severely affected
This three-day strike (Sunday, Monday, and today) could disrupt transactions worth crores of rupees. Cash deposits and withdrawals will not be available at branches today. The closure of government bank branches will significantly delay check settlements, potentially causing payment problems for merchants and the general public.
ATMs will be under significant pressure due to the closure of branches, leading to cash shortages in many locations. Additionally, administrative work such as opening new accounts, making FDs, or KYC checks will not be possible today.
Work will not be available at these banks
Public sector banks like State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), and Bank of Baroda will be most severely affected by today’s strike. A complete shutdown is expected. However, employees of major private sector banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank are not participating in the strike.
Operations at these bank branches are expected to be near-normal. However, if your work involves inter-bank transfers or check clearing with public sector banks, you may experience delays as the public sector banks’ systems are not working today.