All-India Nationwide Strike on 12 Feb: How it will impact tertiary sectors, making banking services disruptions
New Delhi: The All-India Nationwide strike reportedly on February 12 is going to experience more widespread disruptions, where banking and other financial institutions get more hindered in customer services. The Central Trade Unions and farmers’ organizations have announced the nationwide strike known as Bharat Bandh, which will adversely impact the Public Sector Banks, Government Offices, Transport Services, and other financial organizations.
Along with these institutions, some colleges and schools will also remain closed in some states that are prone to protest-hit areas, completely depending on the conditions. The strike has come with the joint agenda of central trade unions with farmers' groups backing that are included to protest against the new labour codes and the proposed India-US trade deal.
This strike has been announced by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions, INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC, who are strongly opposing the four labour codes that would replace 29 labour laws from last year.
According to their perspective, the new codes will strongly condemn the workers’ rights against job security and emphasize undue power to employers to hire and easily fire the staff. Further, it would also be a threat towards privatization, wage issues, and lack of social security.
The key demands include the nulling of four labour codes and rules, withdrawing the Draft Seed Bill, the Electricity Amendment Bill, and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act. Along with these, it has also been certified to restore the MGNREGA Scheme in line with the scrapping of the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for the Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025.
However, there is no official announcement of closure for schools, colleges, banks, or other government institutions. Yet in some states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Odisha, they may remain closed if any kind of disruptions occur in the transport services. Public Sector SBI, along with other major PSBs, stated on Tuesday that a nationwide bank strike is scheduled on February 12, 2026, and mentioned that customer services could be affected to some extent. Major concerns have been raised by banking unions for the customers, but neither the RBI nor banks have announced any kind of bank holiday, which surely means that branches, despite service disruptions, will remain open.
Impact on Banking Services:
The Public Sector Banks and their local branches will be badly affected due to uneven disruptions that would entail for the employees and offices, but the All-India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), AIBOA, and BEFI are requesting the members to join. Customers, on the other hand, will also face problems in branch services, cheque clearances, deposits, and money withdrawals along with the online banking, ATM services.