Bank strike on January 27, 2026? Why your cash withdrawals, cheque deposits could be affected for 3 days

Bank strike 2026: How to prepare for it

• Withdraw enough cash by Friday, January 24

• ATMs usually work, but cash refilling can be delayed during strikes.

• Schedule important transactions early

• Complete cheque deposits or withdrawals by January 23–24

• Demand drafts/banker’s cheques

• KYC updates or document submissions

• Locker access (often suspended during strikes)

• UPI payments

• Internet & mobile banking

• NEFT / RTGS / IMPS

Bank strike date 2026

Bank employees’ unions under the umbrella of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) have threatened to go on a nationwide bank strike on January 27, 2026, PTI reported.

Bank strike on January 27: What is the demand?

The strike is being called to press for the implementation of a five-day work week for banks, a demand that unions say has already been agreed upon in principle.

The core demand of the unions is the declaration of all Saturdays as bank holidays, effectively moving banks to a Monday-to-Friday work schedule.

Currently, Banks are closed on Sundays. Only the second and fourth Saturdays of the month are holidays

Why Unions say a 5-day week makes sense

The unions have pointed out that several key institutions already follow a five-day work schedule, including:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

• LIC and GIC

• Foreign exchange and money markets

• Stock exchanges

• Central and state government offices

"It is unfortunate that the government is not responding to our genuine demand. There would be no loss of man-hours because we have agreed to an extra 40 minutes working per day from Monday to Friday," UFBU said in a statement, PTI reported.

Which banks will be affected?

The strike call applies to all banks, but the maximum impact is expected on public sector banks, where union participation is traditionally stronger.

All public sector banks

Some old-generation private banks

Private banks and digital-only banking services may see limited or no disruption, depending on staffing and internal decisions.

Have banks responded?

As of now, no major public sector bank, private bank, or the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has issued an official statement on operational plans for January 27, 2026.