Bank customers may face disruption at branches in the coming days as employee unions have decided to continue with their proposed nationwide strike on September 11, 2026. The decision follows an inconclusive meeting between the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) over the long-pending demand for a five-day banking week and other issues.

The two sides met on September 4 to discuss the demands raised in the strike notice. However, the discussions did not produce an agreement, according to the report.

Following the meeting, the UFBU indicated that it currently sees no reason to withdraw the September 11 strike call.

Customers who have important branch-related work around this period may therefore want to complete it in advance, although digital banking channels could continue to operate.

September 11 Bank Strike: What Happened in the Latest Meeting?

The IBA invited representatives of bank unions for discussions on the issues mentioned in their strike notice.

During the meeting, the IBA reportedly requested the unions to reconsider the industrial action and continue discussions to find a solution.

The UFBU, however, maintained that these issues have been under discussion for a considerable period without a concrete resolution.

The September 4 meeting consequently ended without the breakthrough required for the unions to call off the proposed action.

UFBU Says Strike Call Remains in Place

The UFBU subsequently shared an update saying that its discussions with the IBA had failed to produce a positive outcome.

Among the unresolved matters are the demand for five-day banking, concerns over the Performance Linked Incentive or PLI framework and other pending issues.

With no settlement emerging from the talks, the union grouping said there was currently no basis for postponing the September 11 nationwide strike call.

More Strike Dates Listed for September and October

The September 11 action is not the only industrial action mentioned in the report.

The proposed schedule includes:

• September 11, 2026: One-day nationwide bank strike
• September 28-30, 2026: Three-day nationwide bank strike
• From October 26, 2026: Indefinite nationwide bank strike

These dates could mean repeated disruption to branch banking if the proposed actions go ahead. However, customers should continue checking updates because strike plans can change if an agreement is reached before the scheduled dates.

Why Are Bank Employees Demanding a Five-Day Work Week?

One of the central issues behind the dispute is the demand to introduce a five-day working week for banks.

At present, banks generally remain closed on the second and fourth Saturdays, while other Saturdays are working days, apart from notified holidays.

Under the proposed arrangement described in the report, all Saturdays would become non-working days for bank employees.

To compensate for the reduction in working days, employees would work approximately 40 additional minutes from Monday to Friday. The objective is to introduce a five-day week without substantially reducing the total time available for banking services.

The five-day banking proposal was part of the agreement and joint note reached between the IBA and bank unions on March 8, 2024.

Unions say the proposal has been awaiting government approval for a considerable period and are seeking its early implementation.

PLI Rules Have Also Become a Major Issue

The dispute is not limited to working Saturdays.

Bank unions have also raised concerns about changes in the Performance Linked Incentive framework for senior officers.

According to the UFBU's position described in the report, an earlier understanding with the IBA linked PLI to the overall performance of a bank and provided comparable incentive days for employees and officers up to Scale VII.

The unions have objected to a newer structure that they say creates significantly different benefits depending on the officer's level.

Under the arrangement cited in the report, officers at Scale IV and above could receive PLI equivalent to as much as 365 days, whereas the limit for officers up to Scale III is stated to be only 15 days.

The unions consider this distinction unfair and argue that they should have been consulted before such a system was introduced.

Will Banks Be Closed on September 11?

The proposed nationwide strike could affect normal operations at bank branches on September 11 if it proceeds as planned.

However, it is important to distinguish a strike from a regular bank holiday. The extent of disruption can depend on employee participation and arrangements made by individual banks.

Customers could experience difficulties with services that require physical branch visits, such as certain document submissions, cash-related transactions, account servicing and other in-person requests.

The report says branch operations could be affected if the strike takes place.

Will ATM, UPI and Online Banking Continue to Work?

Digital banking services may offer customers alternatives if physical branch operations are disrupted.

The report indicates that internet banking, mobile banking and ATMs may continue functioning, although the actual impact could differ from one bank to another.

Services such as UPI and other digital payment channels are generally less dependent on normal branch counters, but customers should still watch for official communication from their respective banks regarding service availability.

People expecting urgent transactions should avoid assuming that every service will operate normally during industrial action.

Customers May Want to Finish Important Branch Work Early

With September 11 approaching, customers who need to visit a branch for time-sensitive work may consider completing those tasks beforehand.

This could be particularly useful for transactions involving paperwork, branch-level approvals, account-related documentation or other services that cannot easily be completed online.

Customers should also remember that strike announcements can change at short notice if negotiations produce an agreement.

What Happens Next?

The immediate focus will remain on whether further discussions between the unions, the IBA and other stakeholders can resolve the outstanding issues before September 11.

For now, according to the September 5 report, the UFBU has not withdrawn its proposed nationwide strike.

The five-day banking week remains one of the central demands, alongside disagreements over the PLI structure and other unresolved matters.

If there is no settlement, branch banking services could face disruption on September 11, followed by further proposed industrial action later in September and from October 26.

Customers with important banking work should therefore follow official updates from their bank and avoid relying solely on the strike calendar, as negotiations could still alter the final schedule.