After several consecutive holidays, bank customers across India woke up expecting normal services to resume. However, Tuesday has brought another unexpected disruption, as banking operations in many parts of the country are hit by a nationwide strike call.

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), which represents nine major unions of bank employees and officers, has gone ahead with its planned protest. The strike is linked to long-pending demands, including the introduction of a five-day work week in the banking sector.

Due to the strike, most public sector banks are witnessing serious disruptions in branch-level services. Customers may face problems with cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearing, passbook updates and other routine transactions.

Banks Likely to Remain Closed or Partially Affected:

Several major government-owned banks are impacted by the strike. These include:

• State Bank of India (SBI)

• Punjab National Bank (PNB)

• Bank of Baroda

• Canara Bank

• Union Bank of India

While some branches may open with limited staff, normal functioning is not expected in most locations.

Bank officials had earlier informed regulators and customers that despite internal arrangements, the strike could affect day-to-day operations. Customers have been advised to plan transactions accordingly.

Banks That Will Continue to Operate Normally:

In contrast, private sector banks are not part of the strike. Services at the following banks are functioning as usual:

• HDFC Bank

• ICICI Bank

• Axis Bank

• Kotak Mahindra Bank

• IDFC First Bank

Digital banking services such as UPI, mobile banking and internet banking are largely unaffected across all banks, though branch-dependent services remain disrupted.

The strike follows failed talks between union leaders and the Chief Labour Commissioner, with no agreement reached during conciliation meetings last week. With negotiations stalled, unions decided to proceed with the nationwide action.