SBI staff union defers nationwide strike, branches to function normally on May 25-26

The banking services at State Bank of India (SBI) will function normally across the country on May 25 and 26 as the staff union has deferred its strike, the lender said on Friday.

In an advisory, the SBI said all its branches will remain open on May 25 and 26 and would provide regular banking services.

“This is to advise our esteemed customers that the proposed strike by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) on 25th and 26th May 2026 has been deferred. All our branches will function normally and provide all regular banking services,” the country’s largest lender said.

The strike call had been given by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation over a series of long-pending demands, including recruitment, outsourcing of permanent jobs, pension-related issues and inter-circle transfers.

The proposed agitation had raised concerns of large-scale disruption in banking services as May 23 and 24 fall on the second Saturday and Sunday respectively, while Bakrid holidays are scheduled in several states on May 27 and 28.

What are the demands?

In a letter addressed to Members of Parliament earlier, the federation had alleged that unresolved grievances and the breakdown of discussions with the management had compelled employees to resort to agitational programmes.

“The bilateral mechanism is now being systematically undermined, resulting in growing unrest, frustration, and dissatisfaction among employees across the Bank,” the union alleged.

The non-recruitment of messengers — involved in transporting sensitive documents, cash, and packages between branches — for nearly three decades is among the key issues flagged by the union.

The federation had also expressed concern over security staffing, claiming that recruitment of armed guards was last conducted in 2022 despite rising incidents of ATM thefts and attacks on bank premises.

“This is not merely a staffing issue, it is a matter concerning public funds, customer safety, and the institutional credibility of the Bank,” it said.

It further accused the bank of large-scale outsourcing of permanent and perennial jobs, including trade finance operations, agricultural associate duties, messengerial work and armed guard services, allegedly in violation of earlier settlements.

The union had also raised concerns over implementation of pension-related provisions for National Pension System subscribers and alleged delays in allowing employees to change pension fund managers in line with government and regulatory guidelines.