Employees of nationalized and regional rural banks are staging a protest in Kalaburagi on Tuesday. | Photo credit: ARUN KULKARNI
Employees of nationalized and regional rural banks staged a one-day strike in Kalaburagi on Tuesday demanding the introduction of a five-day work week as envisaged in the 12th bipartite wage settlement.
The strike was organized under the banner of various bank employee unions, with employees abstaining from work and staging demonstrations outside the office of the bank manager and the regional office of the Karnataka Gramin Bank here.
The bank employees demanded that the Union government should introduce a five-day work system as recommended in the 12th bipartite wage settlement signed between the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the United Forum of Banking Unions (UFBU) in March 2024.
They pointed out that the agreement has been forwarded to the Center for approval but remains pending after more than one year.
Employee union officials said the delay was unwarranted, especially when several financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, NABARD, LIC, GIC and SEBI already follow a five-day work schedule.
Unions said the continued inaction reflected discrimination against bank employees and called on the government to introduce a five-day system without further delay.
Employees also reported that a five-day work week would reduce stress, allow for a better work-life balance and improve efficiency, which in turn would increase the quality of customer service.
Officials of the Regional Federation of Rural Bank Employees said the strike had been forewarned and the Center should have addressed the demands instead of allowing the situation to escalate into a protest.
Bank of India State Union Regional Secretary Ravi Gowda, State Bank Employees Union Member Naveen K. and All Indian Bank Union State Joint Secretary Chandramohan were present.
Published – 27 Jan 2026 20:43 IST
