Public sector banks across Gujarat are expected to remain shut for four consecutive days from March 22 to 25, as bank employees plan to join a two-day nationwide strike on March 24 and 25. This will result in a four-day closure, as the strike falls immediately after the fourth Saturday and Sunday holidays.
The strike, called by the Maha Gujarat Bank Employees’ Association (MGBEA), the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), and the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), is expected to disrupt daily transactions worth ₹15,000 crore, according to estimates by MGBEA. The protest is in response to long-standing demands and recent policy changes that employees believe threaten their job security.
The key demands include adequate recruitment across all cadres, regularization of temporary employees, and the introduction of a five-day workweek for public sector banks, said Janak Rawal, General Secretary of MGBEA.
Additionally, bank employees are opposing recent performance review directives and Productivity Linked Incentives (PLI) introduced by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), arguing that these measures create internal divisions, violate past agreements, and undermine the autonomy of public sector banks.