Bhubaneswar, Sept 11: Banking services across the country, including Odisha, were disrupted on Friday as bank employees observed a one-day nationwide strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU).
The strike has been called over several demands, including the implementation of a five-day working week, performance-linked incentives (PLI), and other issues concerning bank employees. As a result, services at bank branches, including cash deposits, withdrawals and cheque clearance, have been affected, leaving customers facing considerable inconvenience.
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The disruption is likely to continue over the next few days due to a series of holidays. Following Friday's strike, banks will remain closed on the second Saturday of the month and Sunday, followed by holidays on Monday for Ganesh Puja and Tuesday for Nuakhai. The impact is expected to be particularly significant on operations of public sector banks.
According to the unions, around 70,000 bank employees from Odisha are expected to participate in the strike.
The unions have warned that if their demands are not addressed after Friday's nationwide strike, employees will observe another three-day strike from September 28 to 30. They have further threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike from October 26.
Five-Day Working Week Demand
Bank employees have been demanding the implementation of a five-day working week. An agreement to introduce the system was reached in 2024, under which all Saturdays were to be declared holidays. In return, employees were expected to work an additional 40 minutes from Monday to Friday.
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However, the proposed five-day working week has not yet been implemented, prompting bank unions to intensify their agitation.
With branch operations remaining suspended during the strike and subsequent holidays, concerns have also been raised over the availability of cash at ATMs. If ATM cash supplies run low, members of the public could face further difficulties in accessing money.
The prolonged disruption is expected to affect customers, businesses and other banking-dependent services across the state if the issue remains unresolved.
