Employees of the State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest public sector bank, have announced a two-day nationwide strike on May 25 and 26, 2026. The protest has been called by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF), which represents workmen employees across the bank.
The union says the strike is aimed at protecting employee rights, improving working conditions, and opposing policies that allegedly undermine job security and staff welfare.
Why Are SBI Employees Going On Strike?
According to the federation, several employee concerns have remained unresolved for years. The union has accused SBI management of increasing outsourcing, ignoring staffing shortages, and failing to address pension-related issues.
The employees have also raised concerns over:
- Staff shortages in branches
- Increased work pressure
- Lack of adequate security
- Pension-related disparities
- HRMS and medical reimbursement issues
- Unequal wage benefits compared to officers
The federation stated that “hard-earned protections” of workers are gradually being weakened through administrative decisions.
Key Demand: Pension Fund Manager Option For NPS Employees
One of the biggest issues highlighted by the union is the lack of flexibility for employees under the National Pension System (NPS). Employees are demanding the right to choose or change their pension fund manager.
The federation argues that the restriction negatively affects retirement planning and long-term pension returns for employees enrolled under NPS.
Pay Parity Issue Also Triggered Anger
The union has also objected to alleged disparities in salary increases between officers and workmen employees. According to AISBISF, the 12th Bipartite Settlement ensured a 17% wage increase for employees across banking categories. However, the federation claims SBI officers effectively received close to 22% benefits through additional special pay components, while workmen remained limited to 17%.
This issue has become one of the central triggers behind the proposed strike.
The 16 Demands Raised By SBI Employees
The federation has submitted a 16-point charter of demands, including:
- Recruitment of messengers
- Recruitment of armed guards
- Adequate staff hiring
- Stop outsourcing permanent jobs
- Pension fund manager choice for NPS employees
- Inter-circle transfer facility for employees recruited after 2019
- Resolution of pay parity issues
- Review of career progression scheme
- Improvement in medical reimbursement
- Additional pension benefits for retirees
- Resolution of HRMS-related issues
- Appointment of workmen employee director
- Appointment of PF trustee nominee
- Ending pressure for cross-selling and mis-selling of financial products
Protest Activities Already Underway
Ahead of the strike, the federation has launched a series of protest programs including:
- Lunch-hour demonstrations
- Social media campaigns
- Silent sit-ins
- Dharna protests at administrative offices
- Memorandums to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
If negotiations fail before May 25, banking operations at SBI branches across India could face disruptions during the two-day strike period.
