After Saving Thousands of Dollars Using Union Plus, School Worker Wins $1,000 for Spreading the Word

Maria Lopez has been a member of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) for 24 years. And early on, she learned about the serious savings she could earn with the Union Plus benefits available to union members and their families. 

“There are so many perks that we use all the time,” says Lopez. “The wireless discount, the deals on restaurants and movie tickets, the flowers discount, the list goes on.”

So when Union Plus recently had a contest offering $1,000 to the union member who referred the most friends to the program, Lopez went all in. “I saw the contest in our union newsletter, and I emailed out the information to every one of my union friends,” says Lopez. Before long, she got the call that she’d won the $1,000 prize.

“That prize is really just a bonus,” says Lopez. “Union Plus has saved us thousands of dollars over the years. I go to the website and I always find something good.”

It doesn’t hurt that Lopez is an expert at finding information on the job. She’s a senior records technician for a California state program that serves a diverse population of alternative students — from kids who are home-schooled to children who are homeless. “These are kids who really need our help,” says Lopez. “So it’s nice to have Union Plus helping us.”

To unwind away from work, Lopez and her husband like to take trips to Las Vegas. It may be true that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but Lopez has learned an even more important lesson: What happens in Vegas is a lot less expensive when you use Union Plus benefit and discount programs.

“When we’re in Vegas, we use Union Plus to save on hotels, on shows, on our rental car, you name it,” she says. “We save a lot on every trip, and we go three or four times a year.”  

Helping union members save money on vacation is just one small part of Union Plus’ mission. Union Plus also helps with all sorts of everyday needs at home — from dental and vision discounts to homeowners insurance and renters insurance to assistance buying a car. And if you’re buying a home, there’s even a home mortgage program that’s especially designed for union members and their families.

Union Plus offers more than 25 member benefit and discount programs in coordination with CSEA and other unions.

“I could talk all day about all the Union Plus programs,” says Lopez. “I was thrilled to get the thousand-dollar prize, but I’d be telling people about Union Plus even without it. The benefits really come in handy. Go to the website, check it out. You’ll find so many good things.”