Bank strike warning: Note these dates, or your banking operations will come to a halt..

If you have any banking-related tasks, complete them quickly, as bank employees are preparing to go on strike. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) is planning a nationwide strike over several pending demands, including the delay in implementing a five-day work week, disagreements regarding the Performance-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and pension-related issues.

**When will the bank employees' strike begin?**
The UFBU has announced a strike for September 11 to press for demands such as a five-day work week and pension revisions. September 11 falls on a Friday, followed by the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) when banks are closed. Additionally, banks will remain closed in some states on September 14 due to Ganesh Chaturthi. Consequently, banking operations could be disrupted for an extended period.

**Warning of an indefinite strike**
The UFBU, an umbrella body comprising nine constituent unions, has warned of a three-day nationwide strike starting September 28. The unions have further stated that if the government and bank management fail to meet their demands, they will embark on an indefinite strike beginning October 26. This could cause significant inconvenience to the general public.

**No discussion on the demand for two years**
Regarding the five-day work week, the UFBU stated that the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) had agreed to the proposal under the 12th Bipartite Settlement/9th Joint Note signed on March 8, 2024. Under this arrangement, daily working hours from Monday to Friday would be increased by 40 minutes. The union stated that while the proposal was subsequently forwarded to the government, it has remained pending for over two years.

**Opposition to the PLI scheme**
The unions have also opposed the government's PLI scheme for bank officers at Scale IV and above, arguing that it deviates from the agreement reached with the IBA. According to the UFBU, the agreement stipulated that the PLI would be linked to the overall performance of individual banks and would apply uniformly to employees and officers up to Scale VII.

Under the government's plan, officers at Scale IV and above could receive PLI equivalent to up to 365 days of basic pay based on individual performance, whereas workmen and officers up to Scale III were eligible for a maximum of only 15 days of basic pay plus dearness allowance.

The UFBU stated that the issue of PLI is currently undergoing conciliation proceedings before the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC)—initiated after the union called for a strike—and is also pending before the Delhi High Court.

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