The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has called for a nationwide two-day strike on March 24 and 25, demanding better recruitment across all cadres, regularization of temporary employees, and the implementation of a five-day work week in the banking sector and bank employees of Tripura will also join the strike

Bank union forum gave a call for nationwide strike on March 24 and 25 after talks with IBA failed and the unions had also sought the withdrawal of recent directives regarding performance reviews and performance-linked incentives.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at Agartala press club, Tripura State convener of United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) , Sanjoy Datta said that the bank employees of Tripura will join the nationwide strike on March 24 and 25 along with other parts of the country .

He said regulatory bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), and insurance companies operate on a five-day work week, bank officers are required to work on the second and fourth Saturdays as well.

The union also wrote to the Department of Financial Services (DFS), requesting a five-day work week for the banking sector. Additionally, employees work extra hours on weekdays, he said, adding that over the last decade, banks have not recruited sufficient staff, which has impacted the quality of service provided to the public. Moreover, various demands remain unfulfilled as the government has not taken steps to address these issues. As a result, the unions have decided to shut down banking services for two days.

Their major demands includes adequate recruitment across all cadres, regularization of all temporary employees, implementation of five-day work week, protection of bank officers and staff from assaults and abuse by customers, amendment of Gratuity Act to raise the ceiling to Rs 25 lakh, aligning with the government employees’ scheme, along with exemption from income tax, retention of a minimum 51% of equity stake in IDBI Bank by government etc.

The unions had also sought the withdrawal of recent directives from the Department of Financial Services (DFS) regarding performance reviews and performance-linked incentives.

The UFBU, which is an umbrella body of nine bank employees' associations, opposed what it calls "micro-management" of public sector banks by the DFS, alleging that these measures threaten job security and undermine the autonomy of bank boards.

Sanjoy Datta along with other leaders of bank unions also said that the Banks are not recruiting adequate staff in the Banks. Hence there is acute shortage of staff in the Branches and hence employees are unable to extend satisfactory customer services. Public sector banks are implementing all the schemes of the Government and PSBs are not provided with sufficient staff to serve the customers.

“We demand that adequate recruitments should be made to provide sufficient staff in all Branches to extend satisfactory customer services and to reduce the undue workload on the existing staff.

“To press our above demands and seek amicably resolution of the same, United Forum of Bank Unions has given the call for All India Bank Strike for 2 days from the midnight of 23rd March to midnight of 25th March, 2025. Since the management or the Government are not coming forward to settle these issues, the agitation and strike has been forced on us. We seek the support of the people for our strike and request them to bear with us for any inconvenience caused to them,” said Datta.

The union forum comprises major bank unions, including the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), and All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA).