India, Sept. 28 -- The proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28 to 30 has been deferred after the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) gave an assurance on the demands raised by bank unions, including the long-pending demand to declare all Saturdays as holidays for bank employees, the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) said in a statement on Sunday, September 27.

The decision was taken after a meeting between the IBA and UFBU at 9:30 pm on Sunday, during which the two sides discussed the demand for a five-day banking week along with other pending issues raised by the unions.

According to the UFBU statement, the decision to defer the strike followed an assurance from the IBA on the unions' demands.

Following the discussion...