Bank officers and employees demonstrated in Chandigarh on Wednesday in response to a nationwide call by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) demanding implementation of the long-pending five-day working week in the banking sector. A large number of bank employees gathered at Bains Square, Sector-17 and demanded holiday on all Saturdays.
On the call of UFBU, demonstrations were held after office hours in all the state capitals, major cities and centers of the country. Earlier, a nationwide bank strike was also called on 27 January 2026 for this demand. UFBU said that the Indian Banks Association (IBA) has agreed to the five-day banking system and sent the proposal to the government, but no decision has been taken yet.
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What did the bank unions say?
Addressing the demonstration, union leaders said that the demand for five-day banking is not new. Bank officers and employees have been waiting for the government's decision for a long time. He says that it is not appropriate to keep the issue pending indefinitely on an issue that has already been agreed upon.
The leaders said that bank employees have fulfilled their responsibilities in every difficult time. Bank employees have played an important role in the economic crisis, demonetization, Corona epidemic and in making the government's public welfare schemes available to the people. In such a situation, a five-day working week will provide employees with a better work-life balance.
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Union leaders cited digital banking
Union leaders said that today banking services are not limited to branches only. ATM, mobile banking, internet banking and digital payment facilities are available 24 hours. In such a situation, a five-day working week can be implemented without affecting the services provided to customers.
The protesters said that due to continuous delay in this demand, resentment is increasing among bank officers and employees across the country. UFBU has indicated that if a decision is not taken soon, its constituent organizations will decide the strategy of further agitation. This may also include the option of strike.
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Demand to give holiday on all Saturdays
A large number of officers and employees of various banks including Jagdish Rai, Iqbal Singh Malhi, Priyavrat, Sanjay Sinha, Gurbaksh Singh, Pankaj Sharma, Sachin, Raj Kumar Arora, Yugesh, Rishi Upadhyay, Kranti, Gaurav, Prem Pawar, Vinay, Vibhor, Ajay Gapuria and Amandeep Singh participated in the demonstration.
In the meeting, the bank employees unitedly demanded from the Central Government to declare all Saturdays as bank holiday and to implement the five-day banking system soon. Union leaders said that the government should now take a decision on this long pending demand without any further delay.