The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), representing nine major bank unions, has issued detailed instructions for employees and officers across banks to sign and forward memorandums seeking immediate approval of 5-day banking. The call includes sending hard copies to the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and the Finance Minister, along with scanned copies to the UFBU’s official email. The move comes after prolonged delays in obtaining government clearance despite the understanding reached under the 12th Bipartite Settlement and the 9th Joint Note dated 8 March 2024.
UFBU Launches Nationwide Signature Drive
UFBU has instructed all unions to circulate the memorandum across branches and offices, ensuring participation from all employees and officers. The unions emphasised that signed copies should be dispatched to the IBA by 9 December 2025 and to the Finance Minister by 12 December 2025.
Image: UFBU circular dated 4 December 2025 outlining memorandum submission schedule
Source: ChVenkatachalam
Memorandum to IBA
The memorandum addressed to the Chairman, IBA, highlights that while 2nd and 4th Saturdays were declared holidays in 2015, the demand for declaring remaining Saturdays as holidays has remained pending for nearly a decade. The unions recalled that the understanding dated 7 December 2023 recommended declaring all Saturdays as holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, subject to government clearance.
Image: Memorandum for submission to the IBA
Memorandum to Finance Minister
The memorandum to the Finance Minister reiterates that additional working hours had already been agreed upon to compensate for the shift to a 5-day week. UFBU states that despite these adjustments, government approval has not been granted, resulting in disappointment and unrest among employees.
Image: Memorandum addressed to the Finance Minister
UFBU’s Submission to Chief Labour Commissioner
UFBU’s communication to the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) dated 3 December 2025 recounts the progression of the 5-day banking demand across the 10th, 11th, and 12th Bipartite Settlements. The unions pointed out earlier discussions with the DFS, including extracts from conciliation meetings and IBA-UFBU deliberations.
Image: UFBU submission to the CLC dated 3 December 2025
Source: C H Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA
‘Government has No Ground to Justify the Delay’
Devidas Tuljapurkar, former Director of Bank of Maharashtra and General Secretary of the All-India Bank of Maharashtra Employees Federation, responded to Kanal on this development. He communicated “In 11th bipartite it was agreed by the bankers to recommend to the government. In 12th bipartite it was agreed to be implemented with the approval of the government & obviously this draft settlement was signed with the due approval of the government. Now it was formality but despite the lapse of about 2 years the government has not approved. Now in the eyes of law it is non implementation of the settlement liable for the prosecution.”
Further he stated “The government has no ground to defend the delay or to backtrack. The government on the one side is making tall claims about Digital India, Digital Banking, Digital payment then what is the logic in withholding approval for 5 days a week that to with the increase in working for the remaining 5 days. This is inexplicable. This is a popular demand of the bank employees & the employees are agitated. Thus unions are duty bound to give way to the unrest.
UFBU Announces Demonstration on 23 December
In addition to the memorandum drive, UFBU has called for demonstrations across all state capitals on 23 December 2025. The unions state that the current agitation programme aims to ensure that all employees and officers express their collective demand for the implementation of 5-day banking without further delays.
UFBU’s circulation of memorandums, signature collection, and planned demonstrations form part of its ongoing steps regarding the demand for 5-day banking. The memorandums are scheduled to be submitted to the IBA on 9 December 2025 and to the Finance Ministry on 12 December 2025, and demonstrations have been announced for 23 December.
UFBU Chalk Out Series of Activities
The UFBU has decided a series of agitational programs as given in their poster below:
Image: UFBU chart of agitation programs
Devidas asserted that “The present agitation has become eminent. The government should respect the settlement, feelings of the bank employees & accordingly its approval immediately.”
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