The State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday announced that the proposed two-day nationwide strike by its employees, scheduled for May 25 and 26, 2026, has been deferred, bringing major relief to customers across the country.
In an official customer advisory posted on its official X handle, the country’s largest public sector lender stated, “This is to advise our esteemed customers that the proposed strike by the All India State Bank of India Staff Federation (AISBISF) on 25th and 26th May 2026 has been deferred. All our branches will function normally and provide all regular banking services.”
— State Bank of India (@TheOfficialSBI) May 22, 2026
The advisory, issued in both English and Hindi, assures customers that there will be no disruption in banking operations on the two days.
The deferral comes as a major relief for millions of SBI customers, especially after the weekend. Had the strike materialised, it could have caused significant inconvenience as May 25 and 26 fall on a Monday and Tuesday, potentially affecting banking services for nearly four consecutive days including the weekend.
AISBISF had earlier called for the two-day nationwide strike over several long-pending issues. According to earlier reports, the union’s demands included faster recruitment to address severe staff shortages, halting excessive outsourcing of permanent jobs, resolution of pension-related concerns, and better representation of employees on the bank’s board.
The proposed strike had raised serious concerns about possible disruption in branch services, ATMs, cheque clearing, loan processing, and other essential banking activities. Pensioners, salaried class individuals, students, and small business owners who depend heavily on physical branches for their day-to-day financial transactions were expected to be the worst affected.
All SBI branches to function normally on May 25-26
With the strike now deferred, all SBI branches across India are expected to operate as usual. Customers can carry out regular banking activities including cash deposits and withdrawals, loan disbursals, account-related services, and other transactions without any hindrance on May 25 and 26, 2026.
SBI, which serves over 50 crore customers and boasts the widest branch network in the country, emphasised that both physical and digital banking services including its popular YONO app will continue uninterrupted during these two days.