Do You Also Hold an Account with SBI? Employees Set to Go on Strike—Find Out How It Will Impact Customers
Do You Also Hold an Account with SBI? Employees Set to Go on Strike—Find Out How It Will Impact Customers
SBI Strike News: Operations at State Bank of India (SBI) branches across the country are likely to be disrupted for the next four days in May, as employees are set to go on strike.
SBI Staff Strike: Employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) have called for a two-day nationwide strike on May 25 and 26, 2026.
The All India State Bank of India Federation (AISBISF) has announced the strike to press for long-pending demands of the employees. Since May 23 marks the fourth Saturday of the month and May 24 is a Sunday, operations at SBI branches nationwide are expected to be affected for four consecutive days.
What Are the Bank Employees' Demands?
Pay Parity: Under the 12th Bipartite Settlement, a 17% salary hike was implemented across the entire banking industry; however, the SBI management granted officers an additional 'Special Pay,' effectively raising their total increment to 22%. In contrast, the salary hike for clerical staff and other employees has been capped at just 17%.
Opposition to Outsourcing for Permanent Positions: The employees have demanded an immediate halt to the practice of outsourcing—assigning tasks of a permanent nature within the bank to external agencies.
Employee Security and Recruitment: They have demanded the immediate recruitment of permanent staff to fill vacant positions for the bank's armed guards and messengers.
Pension and NPS: A demand has been raised to grant employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) the freedom to choose their own 'Pension Fund Manager.'
Transfers: A demand has been made to provide employees recruited after 2019 with the opportunity to request transfers to other banking circles.
The Largest Strike in History
The largest and most historic strike in SBI's history began on April 3, 2026. It was an indefinite strike that continued for seven consecutive days. It included a demand to raise the pension ceiling. Following this strike, the employees' demands were partially met. Previously, the maximum limit for pension calculation (Basic Pay Ceiling) for employees was fixed at just ₹8,500; however, after the strike, this limit was increased by more than two and a half times to ₹21,040.
What will be the impact on customers?
Due to the strike, counter-related services—ranging from cheque clearance to cash deposits and withdrawals—will be completely disrupted on May 25 and 26. However, as a matter of relief, internet banking, mobile banking (YONO), and ATM services will continue to function normally.
