UFBU Maharashtra Reaffirms Support for 48-Hour Nationwide Bank Strike

The Maharashtra unit of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has reaffirmed its commitment to the nationwide 48-hour strike scheduled from midnight on March 23 to midnight on March 25, 2025. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on March 18, 2025 in Mumbai, UFBU Maharashtra announced its full support for the agitation, emphasizing that the strike aims to highlight long-pending demands related to better working conditions, adequate staffing, and critical policy reforms in the banking sector. 

UFBU is an umbrella organization comprising nine major banking unions, representing over eight lakh employees and officers from Public Sector Banks, Private Banks, Foreign Banks, Cooperative Banks, and Regional Rural Banks. The unions participating in the strike are:

1. All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA)

2. All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC)

3. National Confederation of Bank Unions (NCBE)

4. All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA)

5. Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI)

6. Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF)

7. Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC)

8. National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW)

9. National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO)

Image: UFBU Press Release on 2 days Nationwide Strike

Key Demands of the Strike

The unions have put forward several demands, the most crucial of which include:

• Adequate recruitment in all cadres and regularization of temporary employees
• Implementation of a 5-day workweek in the banking sector
• Withdrawal of the government's new performance review policies and PLI scheme, which employees claim threaten job security
• Improved safety measures for bank officers and staff facing assaults from customers
• Filling up of vacant posts of Workmen and Officer Directors in Public Sector Banks (PSBs)
• Amendment of the Gratuity Act to increase the ceiling to ₹25 lakh, in line with government employees
• Exemption of staff welfare benefits from income tax, with the burden being borne by the management
• Government to maintain a minimum 51% equity stake in IDBI Bank to prevent privatization
• End micromanagement of PSBs by the Department of Financial Services (DFS)
• Stop outsourcing of permanent banking jobs and unfair labor practices

Severe Staff Shortage in Public Sector Banks

The unions argue that PSBs are critically understaffed, making it difficult to provide quality customer service. According to UFBU data:

The number of clerks in PSBs has declined from 3,98,801 in 2013 to 2,46,965 in 2024 – a loss of 1,51,835 employees.

Sub-staff numbers have also fallen from 1,53,628 in 2013 to 94,348 in 2024.

Overall, PSBs have lost 1,39,811 employees over the past decade, while private sector banks have added 6,17,406 employees during the same period.

Image: Data of Staff in Public Sector Banks and Private Sector Banks

Union leaders argue that this staff shortage is putting immense pressure on existing employees, increasing stress levels, and affecting customer service. They demand immediate large-scale recruitment in all cadres to ease the burden.

Demand for a 5-Day Workweek

Another key demand is the implementation of a five-day workweek, similar to RBI, insurance companies, and other financial institutions. UFBU states that Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) had already agreed to this proposal a year ago, but the government has delayed its approval.

Government and Bank Managements Yet to Respond

Speaking about the strike, Devidas Tuljapurkar, Convenor of UFBU (Maharashtra) and Joint Secretary of AIBEA, stated that the government and bank management have not taken any serious steps to resolve these issues. He added that the unions had no choice but to escalate their agitation after repeated negotiations failed.

"We regret the inconvenience caused to the public, but we urge them to understand that these demands are not just for employees but also for the long-term health of the banking sector," Tuljapurkar said.