New Delhi: Customers of State Bank of India (SBI) have been advised to complete important branch-related work before the weekend as banking operations may remain disrupted for up to six consecutive days between May 23 and May 28.
The disruption is expected due to a combination of:
- Weekend bank holidays
- A proposed two-day nationwide strike by SBI employees
- Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) holidays notified by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Why SBI Services May Be Affected
According to banking schedules and union announcements, operations may be impacted on multiple days for different reasons.
Weekend Closures
Banks across India will remain closed on:
- May 23 — fourth Saturday
- May 24 — Sunday
Under RBI guidelines, banks remain shut on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month in addition to Sundays.
Proposed Nationwide SBI Strike
The All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) has proposed a two-day nationwide strike on:
- May 25 (Monday)
- May 26 (Tuesday)
The union said the strike was being organised to press for multiple employee-related demands concerning staffing, pensions, working conditions and customer service practices.
Bakrid Holidays
Bakrid holidays are expected to affect banking operations on:
- May 27 in most parts of India
- May 28 in some states and regions
In Jammu and Kashmir, banks are expected to remain closed on both May 27 and May 28.
Essential Banking Services May Be Hit
Since the strike involves employees in the “workmen category” — including clerical and support staff — several essential banking operations may be affected.
Services likely to face disruption include:
- Cheque clearing
- Cash counter transactions
- Passbook updates
- Routine branch operations
Digital banking services, however, are expected to continue functioning normally.
Key Demands Raised By SBI Employees
The AISBISF said the strike had been called to press for 16 major demands related to staffing, employee welfare and banking operations.
Among the principal demands are:
- Permanent recruitment for vacant messenger posts
- Appointment of additional armed guards for branch security
- Greater staffing to address rising workloads
- An end to outsourcing of permanent work
- Inter-circle transfer opportunities for employees recruited after 2019
- Improvements in promotion and career progression policies
- Better pension and medical benefits for retired employees
- Resolution of technical issues in HRMS software
- Appointment of employee representatives on the bank’s board and PF trust
- Greater flexibility under the National Pension System (NPS)
The union has also demanded an end to alleged “mis-selling” practices in which employees are pressured to aggressively cross-sell insurance, mutual funds and other financial products to customers.
Customers Urged To Plan Ahead
Banking experts have advised customers to plan transactions in advance to avoid inconvenience during the proposed disruption period.
Customers requiring branch-specific services such as cheque deposits, cash withdrawals, document verification or passbook updates have been urged to complete them before May 23 where possible.
