Bank employees of nationalised and regional rural banks in Kalaburagi went on a one-day strike on Tuesday. The staff demanded the implementation of a five-day work week as per the 12th Bipartite Wage Settlement. The strike was organized by several bank employee unions. Workers abstained from work and held protests outside the Lead Bank office and Karnataka Gramin Bank Regional Office. The employees asked the Union government to approve the five-day work system, recommended in the March 2024 agreement between the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU). They highlighted that the agreement has been with the Centre for over a year, but no action has been taken. Union leaders said this delay is unfair since other financial bodies like RBI, NABARD, LIC, GIC, and SEBI already follow a five-day week. They called the inaction discriminatory against bank employees. The unions believe a five-day week will lower stress, improve work-life balance, and increase efficiency. This, they say, will boost customer service quality. The Regional Rural Bank Employees Federation mentioned they gave prior notice of the strike. They said the Centre should have resolved the issue instead of letting protests happen. Leaders present included Ravi Gowda from State Bank of India Officers Association, Naveen K. from State Bank Staff Union, and Chandramohan, All Indian Bank Union's State Joint Secretary.