Five-Day Banking in India: Long-Pending Demand Remains Unresolved After CLC Review
A recent conciliation meeting chaired by the Chief Labour Commissioner revisited the long-standing demand for five-day banking. While talks are ongoing, no conclusive outcome has been reached.
Author: Kalyani Mali
Published: April 30, 2025
The push for five days banking in Public Sector Banks (PBS) has yet again reached a standstill. Despite years of agitation and multiple rounds of negotiations, the issue remains unresolved.
Read here to know more about the demand 5 Days Banking: Bankers Decry Delay on Social Media
The conciliation meeting chaired by the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) on April 29, 2025, offered little progress, confirming that the matter is still under discussion at the Ministry level with no final decision in sight.
No Breakthrough in CLC Meeting
A national-level conciliation meeting was held, under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Chaired by the CLC, the meeting included representatives from the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), various bank unions, and officials from the Ministry of Labour. The meeting was held in response to the growing pressure around the implementation of a five-day workweek in the banking sector.
Image: signatures of participating officials and unions, validating formal attendance.
Courtesy: WeBankers
Five-Day Week Still Under Review
The official meeting minutes show that the issue is under consideration by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance. However, the session ended without any formal commitment or timeline.
To maintain momentum, the CLC mentioned that a letter may be sent to the DFS Secretary urging faster action. This keeps the issue active, many bank employees see it as just another delay in a demand that has already dragged on for over a decade.
Image: CLC document showing five-day banking is still under review by the Ministry of Finance.
Courtesy: WeBankers
Concerns Voiced by WeBankers Representative
“Even after years of follow-ups, five-day banking remains stuck in procedural delays. The CLC’s documentation reflects the same cycle of meetings without meaningful results. Bankers fulfil every national duty on time — yet their own welfare is endlessly deferred. This pattern of non-accountability reflects poorly on both IBA and UFBU, which operate without transparency or legal status.”
The five-day banking issue remains unresolved, with the latest meeting ending in continued discussion. Although all stakeholders, including union and IBA representatives, were present, no final decision or timeline was provided. The issue continues to be under consideration by the concerned authorities.
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