RBI Approves Banks Open Sunday Before 3-Day Strike

MUMBAI- 

RBI Approves Banks Open Sunday Before 3-Day Strike

Public sector banks and regional rural banks will remain open on Sunday, September 27, after the RBI approved the move, keeping branches, ATM-linked branches and currency chests fully functional to avoid disruption ahead of the proposed three-day nationwide bank strike.

The United Forum of Bank Unions has called the nationwide strike for September 28-30, demanding a five-day banking week and withdrawal of the PLI scheme. Talks failed, but the government continues appealing to employee unions to defer the proposed strike.

The Finance Ministry said the decision safeguards customer banking needs since September 28-30 coincides with the preceding weekend holidays of September 26-27, which could have caused a five-day service gap. Digital banking channels like UPI, mobile banking and net banking are expected to stay unaffected even if the bank strike proceeds as planned. The UFBU, representing nearly 90% of the banking workforce, said it may reconsider if there is genuine progress on the five-day banking week demand.