Bank Closed: Employees and officers working in several government and private banks across the country are going on a one-day nationwide strike on January 27, 2026. This strike has been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an organization of bank unions. The main demand is to implement a five-day workweek (five-day banking), meaning every Saturday should be a holiday.
Bank employees have long demanded a five-day working week, similar to the practice of many government departments and the RBI. The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had recommended this, but the government has not yet approved it. Following the failure of negotiations, the UFBU announced the strike. Approximately 800,000 bank employ.
The strike will last from midnight, January 26, 2026, to midnight, January 27, 2026. However, since January 25 is a Sunday and January 26 is a Republic Day holiday (and in some areas, January 24 is also a fourth Saturday holiday), bank branches in many areas may remain closed for up to four days.
State Bank of India has issued an advisory to its customers, warning them that services may be affected due to the strike. The bank will strive to provide essential services, but it urges customers to:
Use ATM/ADWM for cash.
Visit Customer Service Points (CSPs).
Give priority to digital methods like internet banking, YONO app, mobile banking, UPI.
SBI has apologized for any inconvenience and sought customer cooperation.
The strike will affect most public sector banks, but digital banking will be the preferred method of handling most operations. If a last-minute agreement is reached, the strike may be averted.