New Delhi, Aug 24: The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has announced a nationwide strike on September 11, citing delays in implementing five-day banking, differences over the performance-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and several unresolved demands, including pension-related issues.

In a post on X, the UFBU, an umbrella organisation representing nine bank employees' and officers' unions, also announced plans for a three-day nationwide strike from September 28, coinciding with the half-yearly closure.

The unions further warned that they would launch an indefinite strike from October 26 if their demands are not addressed by the government and bank management.

The decisions were taken at a meeting on Sunday, following what the UFBU described as the government's negative approach towards its key demands.

If the strikes go ahead, banking operations, particularly at public sector banks, could be disrupted for several days across parts of the country. The September 11 strike falls on a Friday and will be followed by two bank holidays, while September 14 is a holiday in several states on account of Ganesh Chaturthi.

On the issue of five-day banking, the unions said the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) had agreed to the proposal under the 12th Bipartite Settlement and 9th Joint Note signed on March 8, 2024.

Under the proposal, working hours would be extended by 40 minutes from Monday to Friday to compensate for the additional weekly holiday. The proposal was subsequently forwarded to the government for approval but has remained pending for more than two years, according to the UFBU.

The unions have also raised objections to the government's PLI scheme for bank officers in Scale IV and above. They said the scheme differs from the understanding reached with the IBA, under which incentives were to be linked to the overall performance of individual banks while maintaining uniformity across cadres.

According to the UFBU, officers in Scale IV and above could receive PLI equivalent to as much as 365 days of basic pay under the government's scheme, depending on individual performance. In comparison, workmen employees and officers up to Scale III would be eligible for a maximum of 15 days' basic pay along with dearness allowance.

The unions' other pending demands include pension updation, a uniform dearness allowance formula for pensioners and an option for employees covered by the National Pension System (NPS) to switch to the old pension scheme.