AXA Group Head Office in Paris has unfortunately rejected a request from Unite in AXA to reconsider the rules on the  AXA Miles shares for employees being made redundant in 2011.

The rules preclude anyone who leaves the company before the maturity date later this year receiving any of the free shares. Unite in AXA asked whether employees who had been given an AXA Miles passport back in 2004 and where made redundant in the few months prior to share release could be given them as some form of ex-gratia award as they had worked for the the majority of the qualification period.

Unfortunately Paris have stated that the rules for the award of the free shares cannot be altered and any employee made redundant prior to the release date will not receive their shares, regardless of how close they are to that date.

The TUC has published the first in a series of newsletters to help vulnerable workers, and the union members who protect them in the workplace, find out more about their basic employment rights at work. Whilst primarily aimed at vulnerable workers such as temporary and agency staff, Unite in AXA members may find it useful for friends and family as well. The newsletter can be accessed by clicking this link: Enforcing Minimum Rights

Kate Butler has volunteered to become a union rep in AXA DS Bristol and help make it better place to work in and assist her colleagues with any workplace issues

Thanks for volunteering Kate.

We are still looking for more reps in Bristol, especially Marlborough House. If you are interested please let us know by clicking the link in the header above.

Click here to read the latest Unite in AXA newsletter on the pay negotiations in AXA UK. Please leave your feedback below or talk to your local union rep.

Incomes Data Services (IDS) has reported that private-sector pay is set to increase this year but it will still trail behind the rate of inflation as VAT and rail fare rises impact RPI.

Their latest report predicts that pay rises are on course to be higher than 2010, but the growing cost of living will rise faster than average pay deals for the second year in a row.

The UK’s median pay award rose slightly to 2.2% in the three months to November 2010, according to the IDS research.

Read more about this here.