The ballot of Unite members in the Defined Benefit pension scheme within the bargaining unit has concluded and the result is  as follows:

Ballots returned – 67.37%

In favour – 35.16%

Against – 64.84%

The company has been advised of the result.

Whilst this is a clear no vote against the company offer, the Unite in AXA National Company Committee  is of the view that although the company action is obviously hugely unpopular, that given the number of ballot papers not returned (over 30%) and the size of the no vote, it does not give a large enough mandate to enable us to consider any further action on this matter.

Click here to read the latest Unite in AXA newsletter on the recent offer of pension compensation and protection of key benefits from AXA.

Please leave your feedback below or talk to your local union rep.

Click here to read the latest Unite in AXA newsletter on the results of the Defined Benefit pension scheme survey.

Please leave your feedback below or talk to your local union rep.

A number of members have asked us to provide template for an email that they could send directly to AXA UK Group CEO Paul Evans to make him aware of their objection to the plans to the proposed closure of the Defined Benefit pension scheme.

This is a very good idea ensuring that the man ultimately making the decision understands how staff feel about the plan and the individual impact on his long serving employees.

A suggested template wording for you to copy can be found here. Please feel free to personalise it as you feel appropriate.

You may also wish to email your operating company CEO as well using this template.

Given the size of the AXA Group as a global insurance company, many people have questioned the need for the company to close the pension scheme. With this in mind  we have also produced a template wording for AXA Group CEO Henri de Castries which impacted staff may wish to use to register their opinion with the global group leader. That template can be found here.

Whilst we would encourage any impacted employee to write to both Paul and Henri, we would remind people that, whilst appreciating that many of you are very angry and adversely impacted, to remain polite in what you write.

Click here to read the latest Unite in AXA newsletter on the feedback from Defined Benefit pension scheme members.

Please leave your feedback below or talk to your local union rep.

As part of the ongoing consultation we are looking for your views on the proposed closure of the Defined Benefit scheme by AXA. To complete our survey please click here.

A number of members have asked for more detail on the alternatives to the closure of the Defined Benefit scheme put forward by Unite and the Pensions Consultative Forum.

A copy of the document submitted to AXA listing them can be found here.

Click here to read the latest Unite in AXA newsletter on the planned closure of AXA‘s Defined Benefit pension scheme, impacting over 2,300 employees.

Please leave your feedback below or talk to your local union rep.

The TUC has welcomed Steve Webb’s announcement that he does not intend to change the law to make it easy for scheme to end RPI indexation where their rules require it. Read more about this here.

The TUC’s latest Pensions Watch survey, which analyses the pension arrangements of 329 directors from 102 top UK companies, showed that the average value of a director’s pension was 26 times higher than that of staff.

Also, whilst most companies are moving away from defined benefit schemes for staff, the survey found that nearly two-thirds of companies continue to provide defined benefit schemes for at least some directors.

You can read more on this news item here.