Bank Customers, take note! Banks across the country will be closed for four days in a row this month. If you have any urgent banking work, officials are advising you to get it done beforehand.
Bank employees and officers have called for a one-day nationwide strike on September 11 to press for their long-pending demands. They are mainly asking for a five-day work week, solutions for pension-related issues, and performance-based incentives. Staff from public sector banks, and even some cooperative and rural banks, are likely to join the strike, affecting regular branch services.
After the strike on September 11, banks will remain shut as September 12 is a second Saturday, followed by Sunday on September 13. Then, on September 14, banks in some states will be closed for Vinayaka Chavithi. This means bank branches will be non-operational from September 11 to 14.
These back-to-back holidays might delay services like cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque submissions, cheque clearance, and getting demand drafts. Businesses that handle large cash transactions should make arrangements in advance. However, digital services like online banking, mobile banking, UPI, and ATMs will be available as usual.
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What about ATMs and digital payments?
Although bank branches are closed, digital services like ATMs, UPI, net banking, and mobile banking will work normally. But with high demand for withdrawals, some ATMs might run out of cash, especially in rural areas. It's a good idea to take out the cash you need beforehand. For urgent payments, keep UPI or other digital options handy. Remember, cheque clearances will be delayed.
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Bank unions warn of another strike
Bank unions have announced that they are ready for more protests if their issues are not resolved. There is talk of a three-day strike from September 28 to 30. They have also warned of an indefinite strike from October 26 if there is no progress on their demands. This could further impact banking operations in the coming days.
