INDORE, September 11, 2026 | Economy India: Banking operations were disrupted across Madhya Pradesh on Friday as employees joined a nationwide strike demanding implementation of a five-day work week and resolution of other pending issues, affecting business worth around Rs 5,500 crore, according to a bank employees’ organisation.
The strike brought work to a halt at around 7,000 bank branches across the state, with approximately 42,000 bank employees and officers participating in the protest.
Madhya Pradesh Bank Employees Association chairman Mohankrishna Shukla said employees from nearly 7,000 of the state’s 8,707 bank branches joined the nationwide strike.
42,000 Bank Employees and Officers Participate
According to the association, employees and officers from 12 public sector banks, along with various regional rural banks and cooperative banks, participated in the strike.
The widespread participation affected routine banking services across the state, including branch-level transactions and other customer services.
Shukla said the strike was part of the nationwide protest over the demand for a five-day banking week and other issues that remain pending between employee organisations and the banking authorities.
Banking Business Worth Rs 5,500 Crore Affected
The association estimated that the strike affected daily banking business worth approximately Rs 5,500 crore in Madhya Pradesh.
With thousands of branches remaining non-operational, customers faced disruptions in regular banking services. The impact was particularly visible in public sector banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banking institutions participating in the strike.
Digital banking channels such as internet banking and mobile banking may continue to remain available for several services, although branch-dependent transactions were affected by the strike.
Five-Day Work Week Remains Key Demand
Implementation of a five-day work week is among the major demands of bank employees and officers.
Employee organisations have been seeking a banking schedule similar to the five-day working system followed by several other sectors, while also raising other pending service-related issues.
The participation of thousands of employees in Madhya Pradesh reflects the broader nationwide mobilisation by banking employee organisations over these demands.
The strike is expected to affect banking operations temporarily, with normal branch services likely to resume after the protest concludes.
(Economy India)
