Banks to open Sunday ahead of proposed three-day strike; retailers urged to ready digital payments
India’s Finance Ministry has directed advance salary and pension payments and Sunday bank operations before a proposed UFBU strike from September 28-30, 2026. Retailers and consumers may face branch-service disruption and should complete cash, settlement and other essential banking tasks early while prioritising digital payment rails.
What happened
United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) · India’s Finance Ministry has ordered advance salary and pension payments and Sunday bank operations ahead of a proposed
Key facts
- 3-day strike
- September 28-30, 2026
- September 25, 2026
- September 27, 2026
- 90% of banking workforce
What changed
India’s Finance Ministry has ordered advance salary and pension payments and Sunday bank operations ahead of a proposed UFBU bank strike from September 28-30, 2026. Banks advised customers and businesses to use digital channels and complete essential transactions early.
Why this matters
Front-load cash deposits, cheque processing and settlement-critical tasks before the proposed strike window, while steering customers to resilient digital payment options.
What to watch
- UFBU confirmation, strike participation estimates and any negotiated withdrawal before September 28.
- RBI, Finance Ministry and major-bank notices on NEFT/RTGS, cheque clearing, ATM replenishment and merchant-settlement continuity.
- UPI transaction success rates, bank-app outage reports and payment-aggregator advisories during the strike period.
- Unusual increases in ATM withdrawals, cash-on-delivery orders, failed card authorizations or customer refund requests.
- Reports of delayed supplier remittances, card settlement credits or cash pickup services.