Bank services disrupted as unions press for five-day week in nationwide strike on Jan 27
A one-day strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions has disrupted branch services at many public sector banks, with unions demanding implementation of a five-day work week and all Saturdays as holidays.
Banking operations in several cities were disrupted on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, as unions under the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) went ahead with a one‑day nationwide strike demanding implementation of a five‑day work week. The agitation has focused on making all Saturdays bank holidays, with unions arguing the proposal has remained pending despite earlier understandings and discussions.
Ahead of the strike, Business Standard reported that the action would involve a large workforce across bank categories, and that unions had indicated willingness to extend weekday working hours to compensate for Saturdays. The report also noted the issue had been discussed in conciliation processes, with the Indian Banks’ Association having taken up the matter, but government approval still awaited—one of the key reasons unions cited for proceeding with the protest.
On the day of the strike, local reporting from Guwahati highlighted the immediate customer impact at branches, including delays in counter services and disruptions for in-person transactions. While digital channels often continue functioning during such actions, customers relying on branch operations—cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque clearing follow-ups, demand drafts and administrative tasks—can face delays depending on staffing and local participation levels.
The timing also compounded disruption concerns because banks were already closed on Sunday, January 25, 2026, and for Republic Day on Monday, January 26, 2026, meaning many customers faced multiple consecutive days of limited branch access. Unions say the five-day week would align banking with several other institutions that already operate Monday to Friday, while the government and banks typically weigh customer convenience, operational capacity and staffing impacts before taking a final call.
- Date of strike: January 27, 2026
- Demand: five-day work week; all Saturdays as holidays
- Most affected: branch-level services at participating banks
- Digital banking: generally continues, but branch work slows