Unite in AXA reps attending the AXA European Works Council in Paris today, took the opportunity to raise the issue of the cost of living crisis and pay with AXA Group CEO Thomas Buberl.

This is what we said:

The cost of living crisis crisis is a trans-European issue. In many countries people are struggling with energy bills, the cost of food, increasing fuel prices, rising interest rates etc. The impact, of course, varies from country to country depending on the level of Government support and other factors, but regardless it is a major issue of an unprecedented scale faced by many AXA workers across the continent many who are now being forced to make extremely difficult choices this winter.

Like many financial institutions AXA reported a strong performance in the first half of 2022 with an increase in profits of 11% to €3.9 billion, following on from what you called an “excellent performance” the previous year with underlying earnings up 61% to €6.8 billion. 

Whilst we appreciate you need to maintain strict controls on issues such as Solvency 2, the immediate negative impact of the cost of living crisis on many employees is such that it is not unreasonable for employee representatives such as ourselves to ask what actions AXA are taking to help its vulnerable workers across Europe and also ask that it give some more consideration to the problems the employees are facing, rather than the size of the dividend given to shareholders in 2023 or billion Euro share buy-backs.

When confronted with the reality that some employees of this company are faced with decisions about either switching on the heating or eating, and when others will be soon seeing increases in their mortgage payments that could well see them lose their homes, can it be right for a company as rich and as strong as AXA to enforce a real term pay cut on its employees by insisting its entities implement below inflation pay rises on the very workers who generate the “excellent performance” and generate the company’s multi-billion Euro profits through their hard work.

Please do not think the good will of the employees will last if you make them worse off in real terms at such a desperate time. There is a very big risk of them becoming disengaged negatively impacting company performance. There is a very big risk to their metal health which will negatively impact company performance. There is a major risk of skilled employees leaving negatively company performance 

AXA is a good employer, it has a good reputation, please ensure that remains the case in 2023 by not penalising your employees by effectively cutting their pay with below inflation increases and negatively impacting their well being as well, just so the company can make a few million more Euros and pay the shareholders a few cents more.

Thomas Buberl responded: The cost of living crisis clearly concerns all of us. It is very frightening. AXA is a responsible employer and has taken action with financial support for less well off in France and UK, and will continue to look at this. AXA will address issue of inflation in current salary negotiations looking to balance short and medium term issues and we have no doubt will find a good solution through social dialogue.

Yesterday AXA Insurance issued instructions to customer facing staff around how to respond to anyone who asks them about fox hunting either by email or voice. Unfortunately there was no context to this and a certain ambiguity around the wording required to be used.

Staff are advised to say that “we do not provide insurance to the hunting industry, this includes trail hunting and legal services for hunts”. This is perfectly correctly for AXA Insurance here in the UK. Historically the company did provide some legal insurance in this area but no longer does.

We have discussed with the company at UK and international level the ethics around insuring legal, but publicly unpopular risks, and are pleased to see AXA Insurance no longer underwriting risks like this. Globally AXA has an ethical investment policy, we are pushing for an ethical insurance one as well to help protect the brand which in turn protects jobs.

Unfortunately however it appears AXA as a whole globally does provide insurance for hunting. AXA XL (one of the groups international operations with its head office in the United States) does underwrite policies for a variety of hunting activities. Whilst this is nothing to do with AXA Insurance here in the UK, the distinction between AXA XL run from the US and AXA Insurance run from London are no doubt irrelevant to those campaigning about fox hunting and similar activities. AXA after all is AXA.

We intend to discuss the AXA XL issue further in the appropriate forum with Group management, but would urge members to follow the instructions issued yesterday and if the caller is unhappy with the response, or abusive, that they refer the matter to their line manager to deal with. We would also like members to let your local union rep know so we can see what additional action can be taken by AXA Insurance if required to make the messaging clearer to upset individuals and also protect our members.

The AXA European Works Council, with union representatives from AXA operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain and the UK is being held in Paris.

The UK delegates are asking Group President Thomas Burberl questions on employee burn-out, surveillance of employees working from home and ethical insurance underwriting.

Following the announcement by the Government over the weekend re-introducing some of the Covid-19 protocols from earlier in the year, namely the use of masks in shops and on public transport, Unite in AXA have called on the company to reinstate some of its own.

Whilst the Government has not mandated the wearing of masks in offices it is somewhat incongruous that an employee has to wear a mask to get to work but has no requirement to do so when in work. We have asked AXA to reinstate the rule that when employees get up from their desk, that they should put on a mask to help protect their colleagues.

Also, whilst the requirement to work form home has not been reintroduced yet, we are asking the company to ensure that when staff are required to go in to the office, that there is some valid business reason, and is not just an arbitrary requirement to ensure an employee has been in the office a set number of days, regardless of any need for them to do so.

Hopefully these measures will help in the ingoing battle against Covid and help reduce the spread of the virus in the run up to Xmas.

The 2022 Unite in AXA pay survey can be accessed here

Following Claudio’s email to all staff yesterday evening we have been asked can AXA insist that employees wear a mask in the office after 19^th July “as it is no longer a legal requirement?”

Short answer is yes.

At no point has it actually been a legal requirement in England for staff working in an office to wear a mask. Those legal requirements were restricted to retail and hospitality. 

However AXA UK decided that when staff were away from their desk they should put a mask on to protect other employees. They are perfectly within their rights to do this as they need to make sure they are protecting all workers’ health and safety and wearing a mask protects others.

We appreciate some individuals may be unhappy with this but AXA has legal obligations to protect workers and this is one way they will be doing so in the immediate future. Refusal to comply with company instructions could well result in disciplinary action so please continue to put on your mask if you are in the office and away from your desk.

The result of the 2021 pay ballot is as follows:

For: 88%
Against: 12%

We have communicated this to the company…

Thank you to everyone who voted and the local workplace reps for the hard work they put in running the ballot.

Are you home-schooling or in a household with young children? Unite in AXA are holding sessions to see how this lockdown is impacting on you. The sessions will be held on Bluejeans and are open to all AXA employees with childcare responsibilities. The Meetings are as follows:

Thursday 18th February: 12-2pm (BluejeansMeeting ID: 974140311)

Thursday 18th February: 6-8pm (Bluejeans Meeting ID: 196858840)

Friday 19th February: 12-2pm (BluejeansMeeting ID: 683346883)

Click here to read the latest Unite in AXA newsletter detailing the 2021 Pay Offer we have presented to the company. Please leave your feedback below or talk to your local union rep.

The 2021 pay ballot for members in the AXA UK bargaining unit is now open and will close at 2pm on Friday 19th February.

Due to the Covid-19 crisis this years ballot will be undertaken electronically. Local reps will email members with instructions on how to vote. You will need your Unite the Union membership number to be able to vote. If you have not received an email with the instructions on how to vote within the next couple of days or cannot remember your membership number, please contact your local rep, a list can be found here.