Bank staff demand five-day week, threaten to intensify protest

Bank employees' joint organisations had announced a nationwide agitation demanding immediate implementation of a five-day banking week, fair and non-discriminatory performance-linked incentive pay, adequate staffing in banks, and early resolution of pending demands of employees and officers. Acting on this call, a large number of bank employees and officers from Satara district gathered in Sangli and held a forceful demonstration.

Office-bearers, officers and employees from various bank unions in Satara district took part in the protest in Sangli. The venue rang out with slogans demanding a five-day banking week, fair incentive pay and adequate staffing in banks. A clear warning was issued that if the government and bank management did not take the pending demands seriously, the agitation would be intensified further.

Those present at the protest included Brahmanand Gujar, Vikas Nikam, Mahesh Jagtap, Vijay Lavate and Shailesh Gaikwad of the Bank of Maharashtra Employees' Organisation; Mehboob Magdum and Onkar Barve of the officers' organisation; Lohar of IDBI Bank; Sagar Newase of State Bank of India; Prasad of Bank of India; Chinchkar of Canara Bank; Rahul Lokhande of Bank of Baroda; Amol Jagtap, Mayur Kadam, Sanket Pawar and Manisha Chavan of Maharashtra Gramin Bank; and Vasantrao Nalawade of LIC, along with office-bearers and employees of various other bank unions.

Under the wage settlement reached in March 2024, it was agreed to implement the remaining Saturday holiday, for which unions had also approved a 40-minute increase in daily working hours from Monday to Friday. However, this decision has still not received approval from the central government, leaving the matter pending for more than two and a half years. This has caused deep resentment among bank employees and officers. Protesters said that given the rising workload on bank staff, shortage of manpower and deteriorating work-life balance, a five-day banking week has now become a necessity.

The demand was also raised that a transparent, fair and non-discriminatory method be adopted while giving performance-linked incentive pay, so that the contribution of employees and officers is genuinely respected. It was also said that a satisfactory decision should be taken on this issue after talks with the unions.

The protest also raised demands for recruitment of adequate numbers of clerks and subordinate staff in banks, a decision to restore the old pension scheme in place of the new pension scheme, improvement in pensions, resolution of the medical insurance issue for retired employees, and fulfilment of other pending demands including gratuity.

At a conciliation meeting held on 8 and 9 September 2026 in the presence of the Chief Labour Commissioner and Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner, the government did not give any firm assurance on the five-day banking week. Union office-bearers said this was why they had to take the path of agitation. A warning was issued: "The government and bank management should take the just demands of bank employees and officers seriously. An immediate positive decision should be taken on the five-day banking week, fair incentive pay and other pending demands, otherwise this struggle will be intensified further."

As the next phase of the agitation, bank employees' joint organisations have called a three-day nationwide bank strike on 28, 29 and 30 September 2026. A warning of an indefinite strike from 26 October 2026 has also been issued. Bank employees and officers of Satara district have already shown their unity, discipline and organised strength by participating in large numbers. The Satara district unit of the joint bank employees' organisations said that if the government does not take an immediate positive decision on the pending demands, the agitation will intensify further in the coming days.