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Bankers Stage Nationwide Demonstrations After Work Hours Ahead of UFBU Bank Strike on 24-25 March
UFBU affiliates organised mass demonstrations across various bank offices on 11 March 2025 as part of the agitation programme leading to the two-day nationwide bank strike on 24-25 March 2025.
Author: Abhivad
Published: March 11, 2025
In preparation for the upcoming two-day nationwide bank strike on 24-25 March 2025, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) organised mass demonstrations at corporate, head, zonal, and regional offices of various banks across the country. The demonstrations, held after working hours, saw active participation from bankers advocating for their long-standing demands.
(Demonstration at Central Bank of India Zonal Office, Lucknow.)
Key Issues Behind the Strike
The strike has been called in response to several unresolved issues in the banking sector, including the demand for a five-day banking week and adequate recruitment in public sector banks (PSBs). Bankers argue that a five-day work week would help improve work-life balance, while increased recruitment is essential to address staff shortages and improve service quality.
(About 100 bankers joined the demonstration called by UFBU at the Union Bank of India Regional Office, Shimoga.)
Widespread Union Participation
The demonstrations were supported by various UFBU affiliates, including the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees’ Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW), National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO), and the All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA).
(AIBEA General Secretary CH Venkatachalam and NCBE President R Balaji addressed the UFBU demonstration at Nungambakkam, Chennai.)
Momentum Towards the Two-Day Strike
The UFBU has maintained that the strike is necessary to press for fair policies and structural improvements in the banking industry. Previous demonstrations and protests, including the mass dharna at Jantar Mantar on 03 March 2025, have seen strong participation, highlighting the growing unrest among bank employees.
(Women bankers raising slogans as part of a demonstration.)
Meanwhile, the Chief Labour Commissioner has scheduled a conciliation meeting on March 18, 2025, at 11:30 AM in Delhi regarding the UFBU's strike notice. Representatives from the Department of Financial Services, Indian Banks' Association, IDBI Bank, and all Public Sector Banks have been requested to attend to discuss the matter.
With just weeks remaining before the nationwide strike, UFBU continues to mobilise bank employees to push for their demands. Unless a resolution is reached, the two-day strike is expected to significantly impact banking operations, particularly as it coincides with the financial year-end.
More pictures from the mass demonstrations at various bank offices across different cities:
