Bank strike to hit salaries; Centre orders payout by September 25

If your salary comes on the last day of the month, there could be some tension this time. A three-day bank strike is set to take place across the country between September 28 and 30. Before that, the fourth Saturday falls on September 26 and Sunday on September 27. This means banking operations could be affected for five consecutive days, and many people fear their salaries could get held up during this period.

With banks shut from September 26 to 30, the biggest question is when the September salary will arrive, whose salary will come first and whose will be delayed. Here is how it works out.

First, on who gets paid first: the central government has taken a major decision for its employees and pensioners. To reduce the impact of the bank strike, the finance ministry has directed that September salaries, wages and pensions be disbursed on September 25 itself.

Now, on whose salary could be delayed. If your company processes salaries before September 28, the money will reach your account on time. But in companies where salary processing happens between September 28 and 30, there could be delays. This means for private employees, the timing of this month's salary will depend entirely on their employer's and bank's processing schedule.

Here is what will remain shut during the strike. If the strike goes ahead, banking work such as cheque clearance, cash deposits and withdrawals, demand draft issuance and opening new accounts could be affected. However, services like ATMs, UPI, internet banking and mobile banking will continue to function without any disruption.

Will banks remain open on September 27, a Sunday? The answer is yes. To reduce crowding at banks, the RBI has permitted public sector banks to stay open on Sunday, September 27, so that customers can complete essential work before the strike begins on September 28, and their salaries can also be credited to their accounts on time.