Nationwide Bank Strike on March 24-25: UFBU Stands Firm on Key Demands

The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has announced a two-day nationwide bank strike on March 24 and 25, 2025, after failing to reach an agreement with the Indian Banks Association (IBA). This strike is expected to disrupt banking services across the country as bank employees push for major demands.

What Are the Bank Unions Demanding?

During talks with the IBA, UFBU raised concerns about:

• Hiring new staff at all levels
• Implementing a five-day workweek for bank employees
• Reforming public sector banks to improve working conditions

However, no agreement was reached, leading to the strike, according to L. Chandrasekhar, general secretary of the National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE).

Opposition to DFS Policies

The UFBU, which represents nine major bank unions, is also protesting against the Department of Financial Services (DFS). The unions believe that the DFS is interfering too much in the management of public sector banks, which could affect job security.

They are also demanding the rollback of new DFS policies on performance reviews and performance-based incentives, arguing that these changes could hurt employees’ job stability.

Other Key Demands

The UFBU is also asking for:

• Increasing the gratuity limit to ₹25 lakh, similar to government employees
• Exempting gratuity payments from income tax

Who is Part of the UFBU?

The UFBU represents several major bank unions, including:

• All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA)
• All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC)
• National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE)
• All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA)

What Should Customers Do?

Since the strike is confirmed, bank customers should complete their transactions in advance to avoid inconvenience on March 24 and 25, 2025.

The UFBU has warned that if their demands are not met, they may organize more protests in the future.