The State Bank of India has issued a customer advisory ahead of a proposed three-day nationwide bank strike scheduled from September 28 to September 30, 2026. The United Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella body of seven unions representing about 90 per cent of bank officers and employees, has called the strike.
SBI has asked customers to complete important banking transactions in advance to avoid inconvenience. The bank said branch operations could be affected depending on employee participation.
The proposed strike dates fall immediately after the weekend of September 26 and 27. This means customers could face five consecutive days without normal weekday branch access.
In its advisory, SBI said it is making all possible efforts to provide essential banking services during the strike period.
For cash requirements, SBI has advised customers to use Automated Teller Machines and Automated Deposit and Withdrawal Machines. Customers can also use Customer Service Points for available banking services.
SBI has urged customers to prefer digital banking channels for routine transactions. These include internet banking, YONO, mobile banking and Unified Payments Interface.
Digital channels can be used for payments, money transfers and other day-to-day banking activities without visiting a branch. However, services requiring physical documents, cheque-related processes or staff assistance may face delays if branch operations are affected.
The latest advisory follows a one-day nationwide strike held on September 11. The UFBU has also announced a continuous strike from October 26 if its demands remain unresolved.
The unions are pressing for the implementation of a five-day banking workweek and changes to the performance-linked incentive scheme for bank officers, among other demands. The government has kept the PLI scheme in abeyance and said the matter will be taken up during ongoing bipartite settlement discussions.
