Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 23: The State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday announced that the two-day nationwide strike planned by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) for May 25 and 26 has been postponed following talks between union representatives and the bank’s management.
With the strike being deferred, SBI confirmed that all branches and banking operations across the country will function without interruption during the scheduled protest period.
In an official customer advisory, the country’s largest public sector bank assured account holders that regular banking services would continue as usual.
The proposed agitation had been called over multiple employee-related issues, including staff shortages, outsourcing of permanent roles, pension concerns and alleged disparities in wages and promotions.
The AISBISF had accused the management of failing to address several long-pending grievances and claimed that increasing outsourcing practices were affecting employee security and job stability.
As part of its demands, the federation had submitted a 16-point charter seeking immediate recruitment of messengers and armed security guards, filling vacant posts across branches and stopping the outsourcing of regular banking jobs.
The union had also requested greater flexibility under the National Pension System (NPS), transfer options across SBI circles for employees recruited after 2019 and a review of the bank’s existing promotion and career advancement policies.
Employee representatives had raised concerns over shrinking workforce numbers and growing pressure on staff due to increased workloads. The federation also pointed to security concerns at branches caused by shortages of armed guards.
Additionally, the union had alleged inconsistencies in wage revision benefits between officers and workmen despite broader industry-level settlement agreements.
Before the strike was called off, the federation had planned demonstrations, sit-ins, social media campaigns and formal representations to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
However, after discussions with SBI management, the union decided to temporarily withdraw the agitation, preventing disruption to banking operations and offering relief to millions of SBI customers nationwide.