New Delhi, Jan 27 (NationPress) Bank employees from various parts of the nation initiated a strike on Tuesday, advocating for their demands, which notably include the urgent implementation of a five-day work week in the banking industry. This action resulted in significant disruptions to banking services, affecting cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearances, and other everyday transactions.

The strike was organized by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).

In Vadodara, Gujarat, a substantial number of employees from nationalized banks participated in the strike. Protesters expressed that they had submitted memoranda to the government multiple times concerning their request for a five-day work week, yet no decisive actions have been taken, compelling them to strike. Customers experienced considerable inconvenience as numerous bank branches remained closed or operated with very few staff.

A striking employee commented: "Over eight lakh bank employees from across India are taking part in today’s protest. Our request for a five-day banking week has been pending since 2015. Agencies like the LIC, state governments, and the Central government have already adopted this five-day work week. We were assured that banks would follow suit, but no implementation has occurred yet."

In Cooch Behar, West Bengal, bank employees' unions held demonstrations outside the State Bank of India and other financial institutions, reiterating their demand for a five-day work week.

A protester stated: "Banks globally and most offices in India, whether under Central or state governance, operate five days a week. From the Reserve Bank of India to NABARD and LIC, all follow a five-day schedule, yet nationalized and private banks have not been included. We had an agreement with the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) regarding this matter."

Similar protests were observed in Murshidabad district, where bank and ATM services in Berhampore and surrounding areas remained non-operational. Posters illustrating the bank unions' demands were displayed outside bank buildings.

A protester remarked that the demand for five-day banking has been unaddressed for nearly three years, with the government repeatedly delaying progress.

"The government continues to state that it will be implemented soon, yet nothing has materialized. This is why we are protesting today," they explained.

In Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, over 10,000 bank employees from nearly 250 banks participated in the nationwide strike, disrupting transactions worth over Rs 150 crore. Banking operations in the district were halted, leading to significant inconvenience for customers and local businesses.

In Lucknow, the Senior Vice-President of the All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), Ramnath Shukla, emphasized: "Our sole demand is five-day banking. This request has been persistent for the past decade. When the second and fourth Saturdays were declared holidays, it was promised that the remaining Saturdays would also be included in the next settlement. Other sectors received a five-day work week without the need for such demands."

Indian Bank employee Anshika Singh Visen stated: "In the last bipartite settlement, it was agreed that bankers would have a five-day work week, working Monday to Friday with weekends off. However, while other proposals were accepted, the five-day banking proposal has not been enacted."

In Chandigarh, the one-day strike also disrupted regular banking activities. Bank employees protested outside their branches, chanting slogans in support of their demand for a five-day work week.

In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, around 25,000 bank employees from nearly 2,500 banks took part in the strike. Banking services throughout the state were heavily disrupted as employees gathered in large numbers to advocate for their long-standing demand.

In Patna, Punjab National Bank employee Dimple clarified that the strike was not an "out-of-work" protest.

"The government had agreed in the bipartite settlement that five-day banking would be implemented within six months. However, two years have passed without fulfillment of this demand. The RBI, SIDBI, SEBI, and NABARD all operate on a five-day basis. We want this to be implemented in banks without delay," she stated.

Another PNB employee, Ritika, remarked: "The 12th Bipartite Settlement explicitly stated that five-day banking would be enacted within six months. It has been two years since the agreement, yet no action has been taken. This is why we are striking today."

In Dholpur, Rajasthan, banks across the district remained entirely closed, severely impacting essential services such as cash transactions, deposits, withdrawals, and cheque clearances, causing significant distress to the public.