Dimapur bank employees join nationwide strike over five-day work week demand

DIMAPUR — Bank employees in Dimapur joined a nationwide strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), demanding the immediate implementation of a five-day work week, leading to disruption of services at public sector banks.

Over 200 employees from SBI, PNB, UCO Bank and the State Cooperative Bank staged a protest at the Regional Business Office of SBI at Super Market, Dimapur, on Tuesday as part of the countrywide agitation.

The strike followed a conciliation meeting with the Chief Labour Commissioner on January 23, which failed to yield any positive outcome. Protesters said the central government had assured last year that a five-day work week would be implemented, following which a proposed strike scheduled for March 2025 was deferred. However, they alleged that the assurance has not been fulfilled so far.

Union representatives said that despite repeated representations to the government, there has been no response to their demand, forcing bank employees to resume agitation.

One of the protesters said the demand for a five-day work week was first raised in 2015, when an agreement was reached under which the second and fourth Saturdays were declared holidays, along with an assurance that the first and third Saturdays would also be considered at a later stage.

He further pointed out that a bipartite agreement signed in March 2024 had clearly mentioned that a five-day banking system would be implemented within two to three months. However, the stipulated period has elapsed and no steps have been taken to implement the provision.