The country's largest bank will remain closed for the next 5 days; wrap up all your essential banking tasks today itself..

If you, too, hold an account with the country's largest public sector bank—SBI—you should wrap up all your banking tasks today itself. Starting next week, bank employees are set to go on a two-day strike. The day following the strike will be a holiday due to a festival; furthermore, since a Saturday and Sunday fall immediately before the strike, the banks will remain closed on those days as well. This means you have only today—Friday—to complete your banking. Following this, there will be no banking operations at SBI for the next five days.

Specifically, employees of the State Bank of India have issued a warning regarding a two-day nationwide strike commencing on May 25, citing various demands—including the recruitment of adequate staff. SBI employees will carry out this strike under the aegis of the All India State Bank Employees' Federation (AISBEF). If the strike proceeds, it will impact the banking operations of the State Bank of India (SBI) for a total of five days, as the fourth Saturday and Sunday of the month fall immediately prior to the scheduled strike dates. Additionally, on May 27—the day immediately following the conclusion of the strike—several states will observe a public holiday on account of Eid al-Adha.

**What Are the SBI Employees' Demands?**

The Employees' Federation has stated that the demands of SBI staff include the recruitment of messengers and armed guards, as well as the provision of an option for NPS (National Pension System) employees to switch their pension fund managers. The employees have also demanded that the bank cease the outsourcing of permanent job roles, arguing that this poses a direct risk of data theft, misuse, and fraud. Such practices jeopardize customer trust and could expose the bank to severe reputational damage and legal repercussions.

**Demand for Changes in the Board**

Another key demand raised by SBI employees concerns the appointment of an 'Employee Director' to the bank's Board of Directors. The Office of the Chief Labour Commissioner is scheduled to hold a conciliation meeting with the employee union and the bank's management on May 23, with the aim of reaching a consensus to avert the strike. Notably, this strike action was proposed well in advance, and its underlying objective is not only to improve the bank's operational efficiency but also to bolster customer confidence. 

The Organization Wrote a Letter to the Chairman
Early this month, the employees' organization wrote a letter to the SBI Chairman, presenting their demands. The letter requested consideration of a total of 16 demands. The organization stated that employees' rights are being disregarded and that the security rights secured through years of hard work are being undermined. The organization alleged that the bank's management is failing to properly implement agreements and that the voices of the employees are being stifled.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.