Patna: Employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) are set to observe a nationwide strike on May 25 and 26, following a call by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation over a 16-point charter of demands.
The proposed agitation is expected to impact banking operations across several states, while the situation in Bihar remains uncertain due to differences within the state-level staff associations.
Union Demands and Call for Strike
According to the federation, the decision to go on strike was taken after repeated appeals to the management over long-pending issues did not yield any resolution.
The 16-point charter of demands includes concerns related to staff shortages, recruitment of sub-staff and security personnel, and action against alleged mis-selling of insurance products.
Union representatives said the agitation has been planned after prolonged discussions failed to address employee grievances.
Bihar Situation Remains Unclear
In Bihar, the impact of the strike remains uncertain as the SBI Staff Association is reportedly divided into two factions.
Due to this internal split, there is no clear consensus on the extent of participation in the strike across the state.
In Patna, representatives of both groups have made differing claims regarding support for the agitation, creating ambiguity over its actual implementation in the region.
Banking Services Likely to be Affected
Banking operations are expected to face disruptions around the strike period due to multiple consecutive holidays.
The fourth Saturday falls on May 23, followed by Sunday on May 24, and the proposed strike on May 25–26. Additionally, Bakrid on May 28 may further extend the interruption in services.
Officials indicate that this sequence of holidays and industrial action could affect cash withdrawals, cheque clearances, and routine banking transactions, causing inconvenience to customers.
While the final participation in Bihar is yet to be confirmed, widespread impact is anticipated in several parts of the country.
