Following recent discussions between Unite in AXA local reps and our members to discuss ways of helping alleviate the cost of living crisis on employees in AXA UK, we have collated and submitted a list of suggestions to management.

Top of the list was a one-off cost of living payment. A number of financial services sectors have already made awards to their employees (most commonly £1000) and we have requested AXA do the same, looking at the most beneficial way to get the maximum amount into your pocket.

There were a number of other suggestions including increasing the benefits through MAX (especially supermarket discounts and adding energy providers); expanding the season ticket loan scheme to a general loan scheme; help on commuting costs including extending the repayment period for Cycle2Work; breakfast/dinner clubs; a lunch allowance for office workers; an employee hardship fund; the reintroduction of the homeworking allowance and the supply of heating equipment to employees who require during the winter months.

We have submitted the ideas to AXA management and are looking forward to their considered response as soon as possible.

As part of Unite the Union‘s national Period Dignity campaign, and following the success of our union colleagues in Aviva and Legal & General, Unite in AXA have asked the company to provide free sanitary products across all of its sites.

At present provision is inconsistent with it available in some sites such as Middlesbrough, following our recent campaign, others like Manchester where the landlord provides and some like Bristol were a pilot is being trialled by Property. Other sites such as Ipswich have no provision.

We feel that the provision of these products should be consistent across all sites and are urging AXA to implement this as a matter of priority.

Since January this year the price of a litre of petrol has increased by 41% (a 62% since this time last year). This has an obvious major impact on the commuting costs of employees who have to drive to work

Obviously the price of petrol is not within AXA‘s purview to change, however it can help employees by reducing the need of employees to use petrol to drive to work.

If the pandemic proved anything, it was that AXA employees can efficiently work from home without any major drop off in customer service. Consequently we have asked AXA Insurance to revisit its requirement, in a number of business areas, that staff must attend the office two or three times a week. We have suggested that for the next three months attendance in the office is completely voluntary to help employees manage their expenditure on petrol.

Additionally we believe that over the summer period this will help with employee mental health by increasing the amount of time staff have at home (not sat in a car) as well as go some way to help the AXA Group’s stated desire to reduce the amount of carbon employee commuting contributes to global warming.

We will update you once we have a response from the company.