Vijayan said the strike, organized by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), is a response to what he described as the Centre’s betrayal of bank staff, including the recent decision to renege on an agreement that had designated Saturdays as holidays for bank employees.
In a statement, the Kerala opposition leader alleged that the Union government is quietly preparing to transfer ownership of the country’s public‑sector banks to corporate monopolies, a move he said threatens the security of bank workers and the public interest.
He criticised the Finance Ministry for ignoring longstanding demands such as the restoration of the old pension scheme, while granting substantial benefits exclusively to senior officials, calling the approach “entirely discriminatory.”
Vijayan added that the government is attempting to weaken the bargaining power of bank unions, which have been vocal in opposing the write‑off of corporate loans, a policy he said would further erode workers’ rights.
The opposition leader called on the working class and the people of Kerala to stand united against what he termed a “conspiracy” and urged the Centre to accept the employees’ demands and resolve the dispute without delay.
The three‑day strike is set to commence on September 28, marking a coordinated protest across the banking sector against the central government’s policies, according to the UFBU.