Bank strike 2026: Will banks be open on Sunday, Sept 27? Unions ask staff to stay away

Bank unions on Wednesday advised their members not to report to work on Sunday, September 27, despite the government's decision to keep banks open that day to facilitate customers ahead of a three-day nationwide strike.

"Our members are advised not to attend the office on SUNDAY, (a holiday declared under ID act) the 27th September 2026," the All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA) said in a circular issued after conciliation talks with the government and the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) failed to make headway on the unions' demands.

The AIBOA said the three-day "stay out strike" from September 28 to 30 would go ahead, saying there was no notable improvement from the government on the unions' four demands.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the opening of all bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests on September 27.

The proposed strike coincides with the preceding weekend holidays on September 26 and 27.

In its circular, AIBOA said conciliation proceedings were held at the office of the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The organisation said the government representative appealed to the unions to defer the three-day strike, but there was no specific resolution on the first three demands.

The unions are seeking proportionate payment of performance-linked incentive on annualised pay for the year ended March 31, 2025, to the entire workforce, including the bottom 20% of executives.

They have also sought that IDBI Bank be brought under the public sector by the government purchasing 5% of its shares from the market.

On the five-day banking week, the unions have demanded a specific timeline for implementation. They also suggested that the government issue an advisory to all banks on end-of-day timings, similar to the arrangement in place at Union Bank of India, where branches close at 6 pm.

The AIBOA said the meeting was attended by representatives of the organisation, IBA and the Department of Financial Services (DFS), while no representative from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) was present.

The three-day strike is being called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of bank employee and officer unions.

The unions have been pressing for implementation of a five-day banking week, with all Saturdays declared holidays.

Currently, banks remain open on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of a month. Under the proposed five-day banking system, operations would be restricted to Monday to Friday, with daily working hours increased by 40 minutes.

The latest strike call follows a one-day nationwide bank strike on September 11. The unions have also given a call for an indefinite strike from October 26.