Peg Bissell of Fresno, California has been a loyal Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9408 member since 1977. She recently retired from her job at AT&T but remains active in her union.
Bissell comes from a union family: her mother also retired from AT&T, in 1982, after 38 years with what was then the Pacific Phone and Telegraph Company.
"We’ve always been a CWA union family and a Union Plus family," Bissell says proudly.
Over the years, Bissell has bought or refinanced three homes through the Union Plus Mortgage Program: she rents out the house next door to a family member and her elderly father-in-law moved into the house behind hers.
"We always turned to Union Plus when we needed home financing," Bissell says of her choice of mortgage provider.
Her mortgages are financed by Wells Fargo, which partners with Union Plus to provide mortgages with special benefits for union members. Bissell notes that the included Mortgage Assistance Program, which provides interest-free loans and grants to help members make payments when they are out of work, is “the number one reason” she picked a Union Plus mortgage each time.1
"It was very comforting to know that the interest rates were competitive," Bissell says. "It was also a comfort to know that if I went out on strike, I wouldn’t have to worry about the mortgage payment."
Bissell feels strongly that the Union Plus Mortgage Program and Union Plus services generally are a valuable benefit of her CWA membership.
"I think every member should consider a Union Plus mortgage," she says. "I’m always referring people to Union Plus for just about anything."
1The Union Plus® Mortgage Assistance Program and Veteran’s Grant are provided and administered through the AFL-CIO Mutual Benefit Plan (“The Plan”), which is not affiliated with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Additional information about this program and eligibility criteria can be obtained at unionplus.org/assistance.
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage has a services agreement with Union Privilege in which Union Privilege receives a financial benefit for providing agreed-upon services. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage encourages you to shop around to ensure you receive the services and loan terms that fit your home financing needs.
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2019 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. Equal Housing Lender.
Longtime Communications Workers (CWA) member, Peg Bissell, owns three homes in a one-block radius for herself and extended family. She’s a believer in unions and what they can do for families, both in the workplace and at home, which is why she turned to the Union Plus Mortgage Program for each of her home purchases over the years.