The Finance Ministry has advised the early disbursement of September salaries, wages and pensions for Central Government employees and pensioners ahead of a proposed three-day bank strike by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) from 28 to 30 September 2026. To prevent disruptions in the payment of salaries and pensions, the Ministry of Finance issued an official memorandum allowing these payments to be made early, on 25 September 2026.
According to the memorandum, Central Government employees and pensioners may receive their salaries and pensions for the current month today. This measure is intended to prevent transaction-related issues during the upcoming UFBU-led strike.
Public Sector Banks (PSBs), such as the State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Union Bank of India, may face disruptions from 28 to 30 September. Bank employees will protest for their demands, which include mandatory holidays on all Saturdays, a five-day work week, the removal or revision of the Performance Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and an option to switch to the Old Pension Scheme.
The official memorandum also mentioned:
- The wages for September 2026 of industrial employees of the Central Government may also be disbursed in advance on 25 September 2026.
- The pension for September 2026 of all Central Government pensioners may also be disbursed by banks or Pay and Accounts Offices (PAOs) on 25 September 2026.
- The salary, wages and pension so disbursed will be treated as advance payments and will be subject to adjustment after the full month's salary, wages or pension of each employee or pensioner is determined.
- As the strike period coincides with the closing days of the current quarter, payments and other banking transactions scheduled towards the end of September 2026 may also be processed in advance, wherever feasible, to avoid delays and disruptions.
However, Public Sector Banks will remain open on Sunday, 27 September, as per the government advisory, to reduce inconvenience to customers before the strike.
Private banks not associated with the UFBU will remain functional during the strike days, although customers should check with their respective banks regarding branch operations and transaction-related services.