Mangaluru: Bank employees staged a protest in front of the Mini Vidhana Soudha in Mangaluru on Tuesday, demanding the implementation of a long-pending five-day work week in the banking sector. The agitation was organised under the banner of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and saw participation from over 1,000 bank employees from across the district.
Addressing the gathering, UFBU district convener Vincent D’Souza said that bank employees have been consistently demanding a five-day work week for nearly a decade, but the issue continues to remain unresolved despite repeated assurances.
Long-pending demand since 2015
D’Souza recalled that under the 10th Bipartite Settlement signed in 2015, the second and fourth Saturdays of every month were declared holidays, while the remaining Saturdays were converted into full working days instead of half days.
“At that time, there was a clear assurance that the proposal to declare all Saturdays as holidays would be considered in the future. Unfortunately, that promise has not been fulfilled even after several years,” he said.
He pointed out that bank employees have repeatedly raised the issue through representations, meetings and negotiations, but no concrete action has been taken by the authorities.
Banks excluded despite five-day week elsewhere
Speakers at the protest expressed dissatisfaction over the continued exclusion of the banking sector from the five-day work week system, even though several other key institutions already follow it.
They noted that the Reserve Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India, central government offices, the foreign exchange sector and stock markets all operate on a five-day work week. However, banks, which are equally critical to the country’s economic framework, continue to function six days a week.
According to employees, this disparity has added to work pressure, especially in the backdrop of staff shortages and increasing workload due to expanding banking services.
UFBU leaders and large turnout in Mangaluru
The protest in Mangaluru was led by UFBU leaders, including Phanindra K.G., Suresh S. Hegde, Nikith, Sunil and Prashanth. Union representatives said the large turnout reflected the growing frustration among bank employees over the prolonged delay in addressing their demand.
Protesters raised slogans urging the Union government to honour its earlier assurances and implement the five-day work week without further delay.
Parallel strike held in Udupi
Udupi:
Bank officers and employees under the banner of the UFBU also observed a strike in Udupi on Tuesday, pressing for the same demand. A dharna was staged in front of a Canara Bank branch on Court Road, with around 700 bank employees and officers from across the district participating.
Speaking at the protest, UFBU Udupi district convener Nagesh Naik said that the demand for a five-day work week was not new and that a written agreement on the issue had already been reached.
Approval pending with Union government
Naik said several rounds of discussions and conciliation meetings had been held between the UFBU and the authorities to resolve the matter amicably. However, final approval from the Union government was still pending.
“Despite repeated conciliation efforts, the Centre has not given any clear assurance or final consent. This has forced employees to resort to strikes to draw attention to the issue,” he said.
No inconvenience to customers, say unions
Responding to concerns about customer inconvenience, Naik said a five-day work week would not adversely affect banking services. He pointed out that modern banking facilities such as ATMs, internet banking and mobile banking have significantly reduced dependence on physical branch visits.
“With advances in digital banking, most services such as deposits, withdrawals and fund transfers are available round the clock. A five-day work week will not inconvenience customers in any way,” he said.
Work pressure and staff shortages highlighted
UFBU leaders in Udupi also highlighted the issue of staff shortages across banks. They said that despite inadequate staffing, bank employees continue to shoulder multiple responsibilities, leading to excessive work pressure.
“While employees in several central government institutions, including insurance companies and the RBI, already enjoy a five-day work week, bank staff continue to face heavy workloads and long working hours,” Naik added.
Leaders and organisations extend support
Several leaders and representatives from various organisations participated in the Udupi protest, including Sachin Shetty, Ramesh, Supriya, Harish Shetty, Ravishankar, Pradeep Kumar, Muralidhar, Mario Mathias, Shyamala, Vishal Singh, Niranjan Acharya, Suraj Uppoor and Suraj.
Conclusion
The coordinated protests in Mangaluru and Udupi underline growing discontent among bank employees over the delay in implementing a five-day work week. Union leaders warned that if the government continues to ignore their demand, further agitation may follow. They urged the Union government to take an immediate decision, stating that the move would improve employee well-being and strengthen the efficiency of the banking system.