Top News

Major bank unions such as the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), the All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), and the Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) have called upon their units and members to join a nationwide strike on February 12, 2026, along with 10 central trade unions (CTUs). The strike call is in protest against the four new labor codes notified by the government in November and against the 'increasing attacks on the working class'.

S Nagarajan, General Secretary of AIBOA, stated in a report to ET that their organization is extending its support to the CTU strike on February 12, 2026. He also urged bank officers not to perform clerical duties on the day of the strike. In a letter dated January 28, 2026, written by the general secretaries of AIBEA, AIBOA, and BEFI and addressed to bank members and units, several issues were highlighted as reasons for joining the nationwide general strike on February 12, 2026. Let's look at the issues that the bank unions are raising.

Opposition to Labor Laws
The letter written by the bank bodies to their units and employees states that the proposed labor laws to be implemented are completely against the workers and have laid down stringent conditions for the registration of trade unions. The letter further states that, moreover, the owner of an establishment with fewer than 300 employees can dismiss any employee without the consent of the authorities. This move by the government is aimed at supporting MNCs as well as owners of small factories/establishments in the name of ease of doing business.

5-Day Work Week for Bank Employees
The letter claims that while bank unions are fighting for work-life balance and demanding a five-day work week for banking operations, the government is proposing to give employers the right to increase working hours. Nagarajan says that all major financial organizations, such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), currency exchange centers, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the stock market, and the Multi-Commodity Exchange of India, have a five-day work week, but only bank employees work six days a week on alternate weeks. We want the government to provide a five-day work week for bank employees as well.

Fixed-Term Employment
Bank unions say that, given the high unemployment rate in India, the government has proposed a fixed-term employment scheme instead of creating jobs for young people, which is jeopardizing the future of the youth. The letter also states that while it has become difficult for employee unions to go on strike, employers are being given the freedom to implement lockouts and layoffs without the permission of labor authorities.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from TV9. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.