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APWU Member Eases into Retirement with Disability Grant
Sally Tobar was looking forward to retirement. Tobar, a member of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 185, had put in more than 38 years as a postal clerk and anticipated spending her well-earned free time knitting, doing macramé, and beefing up her sewing skills.
Unfortunately, Tobar's vision was thwarted when she fell and injured her back a few months before her planned retirement date. Health insurance covered some of her medical costs, but not all of them.
"It started to add up and I wasn’t working overtime, which I was used to doing," says Tobar.
When Tobar, a Union Plus Credit Cardholder1, reached out to report an incorrect medical charge, the customer service representative told her about the Union Plus Disability Grant2.
"She told me, 'We have this grant program for our union brothers and sisters in situations like this.'" Tobar adds, "I’d never bothered to look at the credit card benefits before."
The Union Plus Disability Grant is a $1,600 - $2,700 payment available to eligible Union Plus Credit Cardholders who have been unemployed for at least 90 days and who have lost at least 25 percent of their monthly income due to illness or disability during the past 12 months, among other requirements. Applicants must have been Union Plus Credit Cardholders for at least three months and their card account must be in good standing.
"The person I spoke to with Union Plus was helpful and friendly," Tobar recalls. "I was very happy to receive the grant."
Tobar retired soon after receiving her grant and is grateful it helped her cover her copays on her road to recovery.
For more information on how Union Plus can help union members in times of need, visit unionplus.org/hardship.
1Credit approval required. Terms and conditions apply. The Union Plus Credit Cards are issued by Capital One, N.A. pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
2Certain restrictions, limitations and qualifications apply to these grants. Additional information and eligibility criteria can be obtained at https://www.unionplus.org/page/disability-grant.
After 38 years as a postal clerk, APWU member Sally Tobar was ready to put her feet up. However, before she could retire, she found herself sidelined from work by an injury. Because Tobar is a Union Plus Credit Cardholder, she was eligible to apply for a Union Plus Disability Grant, which helped offset some of her medical costs. Tobar was "very surprised and happy" to learn about the grant.
OPEIU Member Takes Chance on Union Plus Mortgage Sweepstakes
Security guard Carlos Santiago has worked straight through the pandemic.
"While it's had its ups and downs, I’m grateful to be moving forward," Santiago says.
Santiago, a 10-year Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153 member from the Bronx, New York, is dedicated to his work and to helping other union members, often attending rallies and assisting at his local.
Nearly seven years ago, he signed up for the Union Plus email newsletter and first learned about the Union Plus Mortgage Program.
"Right then and there, I knew that I wanted to buy my own place," he says. "I called Union Plus a year and a half later and they guided me through the whole mortgage process."
With financing available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, the Union Plus Mortgage Program helps union members and their parents and children purchase or refinance their homes while also offering exclusive union member benefits.
"I tell my colleagues that it’s stressful [to buy a home] but Union Plus and Wells Fargo walk you through it and in the end it’s a home run," Santiago says.
When he heard about recent sweepstakes for Union Plus mortgage holders, he decided to give it a shot.
"I got the call [that I won]. It was unbelievable," he recalls. "I'm going to use the money to upgrade my place — do some painting and get some things fixed."
Santiago heartily endorses Union Plus and the Union Plus Mortgage Program.
"I am Union Plus 100%," he said.
To learn more about the Union Plus Mortgage program, visit unionplus.org/mortgage.
Union Plus® is a registered trademark of Union Privilege.
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. © 2020 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 39980. Equal Housing Lender.
OPEIU member Carlos Santiago is a security guard in New York City. He’s grateful to have had steady work throughout the pandemic, but has endured his fair share of ups and downs in the process. One of his "ups" was winning a sweepstakes for Union Plus Mortgage holders. "I'm going to use the money to upgrade my place — do some painting and get some things fixed," Santiago said.
IUPAT Couple Buys First Home Together with Union Plus Mortgage
Soon after Christina Coady married her husband, an International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) member, the couple bought their first home together.
"We were living in a garage turned into a house and were paying rent,” Coady recalled. “I had never owned a home. We found a beautiful home in downtown Springfield. I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in the door."
Coady, who now runs her own bakery business, knew she could access VA loans from her time in the military. She didn’t know that her husband’s union membership would also play a role in the home buying process.
"Our realtor told us that Wells Fargo participated in the Union Plus Mortgage Program," Coady said. "She referred us to a Wells Fargo mortgage consultant, and we met all the qualifications. Everything was perfect and it all just worked."
The couple felt particularly good about the inclusion of hardship assistance with every Union Plus mortgage in case of layoff or other involuntary unemployment.
"It’s good to know it’s available if I need it in a harder time,” Coady said. “The fact that Union Plus had a sort of insurance in case anything happened sold me on it."
Union members who purchase or refinance a home with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage through the Union Plus Mortgage Program get a $300 award for refinancing and $500 award for home purchases.1 Additional benefits for veterans are available from Union Plus. All Union Plus mortgages include access to the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program, which provides interest-free loans and grants from Union Plus when members out are out of work due to a union-approved strike, lockout, involuntary unemployment, or disability2.
Coady described her first home buying experience as “pleasant and positive” and recommended the Union Plus Mortgage Program to other union families.
Visit unionplus.org/mortgage to learn more.
Union Plus® is a registered trademark of Union Privilege.
1Eligible individuals can receive the Wells Fargo My Mortgage GiftSM award approximately 6 weeks after closing on a new purchase or refinance loan secured by an eligible first mortgage or deed of trust with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (“New Loan”), subject to qualification, approval and closing, when identifying themselves as eligible. The My Mortgage Gift award is not available with The Relocation Mortgage Program® or to any Wells Fargo team member. Only one My Mortgage Gift award is permitted per eligible New Loan. This award cannot be combined with any other award, discount or rebate, except as described in the Terms and Conditions. This award is void where prohibited, transferable, and subject to change or cancellation with no prior notice. Awards may constitute taxable income. Federal, state, and local taxes, and any use of the award not otherwise specified in the Terms and Conditions (available at wellsfargo.com/mmgterms and provided at receipt of award) are the sole responsibility of the My Mortgage Gift recipient.
2The 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. © 2020 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. AP 5220179 10/20 Equal Housing Lender.
Christina Coady and her husband, IUPAT member Wesley Coady, bought their first home together soon after getting married a couple years ago. Thanks to Wesley’s union membership, they were able to work with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage through the Union Plus Mortgage Program to buy their dream home. Christina says of the home buying process, "Everything was perfect and it all just worked."
AFSCME Member’s Support for Unions Earns Her AT&T Savings
Georgia Veiga has been a proud member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) C 63, Local 3440 in New Jersey for the last 17 years. She regularly seeks out opportunities to support companies that employ union workers.
She was happy to do just that when she switched to AT&T for her family’s smartphone service after receiving an email about the Union Plus AT&T Discount Program. She learned that Union Plus offers an AT&T switch rebate and smartphone upgrade rebate to Union Plus Credit Cardholders1. The email came at the right time for Veiga, who was an unhappy customer of another cell phone carrier at the time.
"AT&T’s service is better, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to switch," Veiga says. In addition, AT&T employs more than 94,000 union members as the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier.
"They’re a family, they seem happy," Veiga says of the customer service she’s experienced with AT&T.
Because Veiga switched carriers and upgraded to a new smartphone, she qualified for $250 in rebates2.
The rebate money quickly came in handy when Veiga added her tween daughter as one of the four lines on her AT&T phone plan and the family’s data usage increased dramatically.
"It has been glued to her head," Veiga says of her daughter’s phone.
According to Veiga, the AT&T Smartphone Upgrade Rebate application process was easy. Union members and retirees also save 15 percent on the monthly service charge of qualified wireless plans3 and get 20 percent off eligible accessories4, among other AT&T benefits.
"I appreciate all the benefits made available through the union," she says. "It’s a wonderful program."
To learn more about the Union Plus AT&T Discount Program, visit unionplus.org/att.
1Credit approval required. Terms and conditions apply. The Union Plus Credit Cards are issued by Capital One, N.A. pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
Qualifying monthly data plan required. Rebate offers are available only to union member Union Plus cardholders. Rebates are limited-time offers and are only available while funds last, so checks are sent out on a first-come, first-served basis. Union Privilege is the sole sponsor and administrator of these rebates. AT&T is not a sponsor of the Union Plus rebates and is not affiliated with the administration and operation of the rebates in any way. For details, visit UnionPlus.org/ATTRebate.
2You must be using the 15% AT&T Wireless Discount through Union Plus. You must use your Union Plus Credit Card when purchasing your new smartphone and data plan features. Your rebate will cover the costs of your qualifying smartphone upgrade and one month of the qualifying data plan services up to $100. You must be a Union Plus Credit Cardholder in good-standing. You can only receive one AT&T smartphone and change of service rebate per union member per lifetime. Rebates are for union members only. You may need to submit further proof of your union membership upon request by Union Plus. Rebates are only available while funds last, so checks will be sent on a first-come, first-served basis.
3AT&T SIGNATURE PROGRAM DISCOUNTS: Available to qualified employees, students & other authorized individuals associated with eligible companies, universities & other sponsoring organizations with a qualifying service agreement (Business Agreement). Must validate eligible online or provide valid employee badge/paystub, student ID, or other approved proof of eligibility in authorized retail store & subscribe to service under an individual responsibility account for which the qualifying individual is personally liable. Discount subject to Business Agreement & may be interrupted, changed, or discontinued without notice. Additional restrictions apply. Credits/Discounts: Start w/in 2 bill cycles after service activation & eligibility confirmed. Applied after application of any available credit. May not be combined with other service discounts. Service discount: Req’s AT&T Unlimited Elite plan. $10 discount applied after the application of any available Autopay, paperless bill, only on phone lines 1 – 5. Any additional phone lines added over 5 and up to max of 10 reduces all phone line (including lines 1-5) discounts to $5/mo. per phone line. May not be stackable w/other offers or credits. Exclusions: Military, Veterans, First Responders, Massachusetts Public Sector Employees, AT&T employees, FirstNet Customers, EMO, IMO and FirstNet customers. May not be combinable with other select offers or promotions.
420% ON SELECT ACCESSORIES: AT&T will apply the Accessory Discount to the prices of select Accessories available through AT&T, which may be modified by AT&T from time to time. The term "Accessory" or "Accessories" means supplementary parts for Equipment (e.g. batteries, cases, earbuds). The Accessory Discount will not apply to Accessories purchased for use with datacentric Equipment such as modems, replacement SIM cards and car kits or to Apple-branded Accessories, and the Accessory Discount may not be combined with any other promotional pricing or offer.
AFSCME member Georgia Veiga is a staunch supporter of unions. She’s happy with her recent wireless carrier switch to AT&T because she’s supporting a company that employs union workers, she qualified for $250 in rebates as a Union Plus Credit Cardholder, and “AT&T’s service is better,” she says.
AEA, SAG-AFTRA Member Shines Spotlight on Dental Discount Plan
Randy Redd, a writer and director based in Memphis, Tenn., has been a member of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) for 30 years and of SAG-AFTRA for nearly as long.
"I joined as an actor in ’90," Redd recalls. "It wasn’t until years and years later that I realized that the union is also affiliated with discount programs."
Redd was looking for a dentist a few years ago but felt discouraged by the expense of dental insurance. Instead, he turned to the Union Plus Dental Discount Plan, available through Careington.
"It seemed too good to be true at first," Redd describes. "But I saw a fantastic dentist who’s in the plan who just blew my mind. As a result of the discount plan, the cost is so low, and so affordable, for really first-rate care."
Through the Dental Discount Plan, union members, retirees, and their household family members can sign up and enjoy savings of 20% to 50% on dental care with one of the largest dental networks in the nation. Plans start at $7.95/month*.
"I had a great experience," Redd raves. "It’s really easy to find your way through Careington’s list of providers."
Redd recommends the Dental Discount Plan to other union members "all the time," he says.
He continues, "With Careington, I could get checkups and cleanings and regular care at the same level of care I’d been getting under any other plan. And the discounts are incredible. I had to get a root canal, and it’s incredible what I paid for that."
To learn more about the Union Plus Dental Discount Plan and other health savings options, visit unionplus.org/healthsavings.
*+$10 one-time, non-refundable enrollment fee
THIS PLAN IS NOT INSURANCE and is not intended to replace health insurance. This plan does not meet the minimum creditable coverage requirements under M.G.L. c.111M and 956 CMR 5.00. This plan is not a Qualified Health Plan under the Affordable Care Act. This is not a Medicare prescription drug plan. The range of discounts will vary depending on the type of provider and service. The plan does not pay providers directly. Plan members must pay for all services but will receive a discount from participating providers. The list of participating providers is at Union Plus Discount Dental Plan. A written list of participating providers is available upon request. You may cancel within the first 30 days after effective date or receipt of membership materials (whichever is later) and receive a full refund, less a nominal processing fee (nominal fee for MD residents is $5, AR and TN residents will be refunded processing fee). Discount Plan Organization and administrator: Careington International Corporation, 7400 Gaylord Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034; phone 800-441-0380.
This plan is not available in Vermont or Washington.
Union membership has been a constant in Randy Redd’s career, even as he’s changed paths and moved cities. The actor-turned-writer and director tapped into dental savings for union members through Union Plus a few years ago and has had nothing but good things to say about the Union Plus Dental Discount Plan ever since.
IUPAT Member Focuses on Her Future with Free College
Chelsea Taylor had just started a new job with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) in Orlando, Florida when a brochure in her benefits packet caught her eye. Taylor zeroed in on the Union Plus Free College benefit.
The Union Plus Free College Program partners with AFSCME and Eastern Gateway Community College to offer online courses and degree programs with no out-of-pocket cost to active or retired union members and their eligible family members, including spouses and children. Unemployed, furloughed and laid off union workers and their extended families are eligible to enroll.
Taylor liked the idea of getting a college degree without piling on thousands of dollars in student debt and acted fast. Within a few weeks she was set up and ready for class.
"Enrolling was easy,” she says. “They give you an advisor and it’s pretty straightforward."
Taylor is earning credits toward an associate degree in Business Management with a concentration in Information Systems. She plans to finish her degree this summer.
Taylor works full time for IUPAT Local 1010 training floor refinishing apprentices. She says the online learning platform gives her the flexibility she needs to be able to work while attending classes.
"It worked very well with my schedule," she says, adding that taking college courses while being a union employee is very doable.
"You have more free time than you think," she notes. "I found that if I spend one hour a day on my classes, a heavy course load like I have is not impossible."
To learn more about the Union Plus Free College Program and how to apply, visit unionplusfreecollege.org or call (888) 590-9009.
Chelsea Taylor had just started a new job with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) when she spotted a brochure in her benefits packet that mentioned the Union Plus Free College program. She enrolled in accelerated classes to get an associate’s degree in Information Systems and hopes to pursue a bachelor’s degree next.
Longtime BCTGM Member Enrolls in Free College to Achieve Career Goal
Jason Thomas had worked at a bakery for 25 years when he decided to enroll in college classes. When he learned about the Union Plus Free College Program at the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) international convention in 2018, he decided it was it was an opportunity he didn’t want to miss.
"I found out it was free, and thought, 'well, what’s my next step?'" Thomas recalls.
In addition to his distribution foreman job at the bakery, Thomas was also working as a part-time business agent for his BCTGM local union. Thomas, who has a 20-year-old daughter attending college, places a high value on education and wanted to utilize the unique opportunity to earn a degree for himself.
The Union Plus Free College Program partners with AFSCME and Eastern Gateway Community College to offer online courses and degree programs with no out of pocket cost to active or retired union members and their eligible family members, including spouses and children.
Thomas was soon taking classes towards a Business Management associate degree with a focus on Labor Studies.
"I’ve gotten an A in every class I’ve taken," Thomas says. "When I got the letter that I made honor roll, I thought, 'Wow, I did it.'"
Thomas especially appreciates the accessibility of online classes.
"I like it, I really enjoy it," he says. "I can go at my own pace."
In April, Thomas began a new job as a BCTGM international business agent and organizer. He believes that a college degree will contribute to his career with the union and regularly recommends the Free College program to friends and coworkers.
"If it’s free, you might as well take advantage of it," he says.
Unemployed, furloughed and laid off union workers and their extended families are eligible to enroll. To learn more about the Union Plus Free College Program and how to apply, visit unionplusfreecollege.org or call (888) 590-9009.
Twenty-five years after BCTGM member Jason Thomas graduated from high school, he decided to give college a shot. He was hooked after learning about the Union Plus Free College Program at a union convention. "I found out it was free, and thought, 'well, what’s my next step?'" Thomas recalls. Soon after enrolling, he achieved a professional goal.
APWU Member Hopes to Use Free College Degree to Give Back
Barnesa Chatterfield has been a member of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) since 1988. Though she recently retired from her career as a postal clerk, she continues to be involved in the union, serving as a state of California Auxiliary President since 2016.
"I’m a service-oriented individual and I love helping people," Chatterfield says of her dedication to giving back.
"My whole career at the postal service - being a union member, a union representative, has been full of blessings," she continues.
Once Chatterfield retired and her kids were out of the house, she took advantage of newfound free time to pursue a long-held personal goal.
"I retired and saw an email about the Union Plus Free College Program, I was like 'School? What? Free! Oh my god!' I immediately jumped on it," Chatterfield says.
The Union Plus Free College Program partners with AFSCME and Eastern Gateway Community College to offer online courses and degree programs with no out-of-pocket cost to active or retired union members and their eligible family members, including spouses and children. Unemployed, furloughed and laid off union workers and their extended families are eligible to enroll.
Chatterfield is taking classes towards an associate degree in Business Management with a focus on Labor Studies, which she hopes to use in service of APWU. Despite not having been in school in over 40 years, she says, "So far, it’s been amazing."
Chatterfield especially appreciates the flexibility of the online program.
"I like that you can go to school 24/7," she says. "You can fit it into your schedule and you don’t have to worry about missing class."
"I don’t think enough people know about the Free College benefit," Chatterfield continues. "It’s a blessing to have Union Plus in our life."
To learn more about the Union Plus Free College Program and how to apply, visit unionplusfreecollege.org or call (888) 590-9009.
Retired Postal Workers member Barnesa Chatterfield describes herself as a "service-oriented individual." After a long career as a postal clerk with additional roles within her union, Chatterfield decided to enroll in the Union Plus Free College Program. She hopes to use her degree in Labor Studies to keep giving back to APWU in some capacity. "I don’t think enough people know about the Free College benefit," Chatterfield says. "It’s a blessing to have Union Plus in our life."
AFSCME Member Sings Praises of Union Plus Mortgage Company
Chicago-area resident Sherri Miller has been an Illinois state employee and an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31, Local 1006 member for the last 20 years.
She says, "I really love my union!"
Last year, Miller got a Union Plus email about Union Plus Mortgage Company in the middle of her home search and ended up choosing them as her mortgage provider.
"It was great timing," Miller recalls. "It was like someone was reading my mind."
The Union Plus Mortgage Program, with financing available through Union Plus Mortgage Company, is available for all eligible union members. The Union Plus Mortgage Company is union-owned and staffed by knowledgeable loan officers.
For qualifying members, there are special benefits for first-time homebuyers as well as:
- A $500 gift card after closing for purchasing or refinancing a home
- Special mortgage payment assistance from Union Plus in the event of income loss due to unemployment, disability, strike, lockout or furlough.
"This was my first home purchase, and it was a great experience," Miller says. "The process was really, really easy. They were patient, they were helpful, and whenever I had questions, they were always available."
Miller was especially appreciative of the flexibility of communicating with her Union Plus Mortgage Company contacts.
"They were really considerate of my time," she says. "With my job, I have to be on the phones all day. If they needed me, they would text me or email me. It made it all a lot easier and took a lot of stress off this whole process."
Now that she's settled into her home and has even refinanced it once – again through Union Plus Mortgage Company – Miller is spreading the word.
"I've been telling everybody about Union Plus Mortgage Company," she says.
To learn more about Union Plus Mortgage Company, call 855 UNION 27 (855-864-6627) or visit unionplusmortgage.com.
The AFL-CIO, Union Privilege and a group of unions own Union Plus Mortgage Company and will benefit if you get your loan through the company. However, you are not required to use Union Plus Mortgage for your loan and are free to shop. For your Affiliated Business Arrangement Disclosure Statement, please visit www.unionplusmortgage.com. Union Plus Mortgage Company has a services agreement with Union Privilege in which Union Privilege receives a financial benefit for providing agreed upon services. The NMLS Consumer Access Website is: http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. NMLS Number 1561829
AFSCME member Sherri Miller lucked out when she discovered the union-owned Union Plus Mortgage Company in the middle of her home search last year. As a first-time homebuyer, she felt she was in good hands with their thoughtful customer service and special union member benefits, including hardship mortgage assistance. "I've been telling everybody about Union Plus Mortgage Company," she says.
Union Plus Free College Program Opens Doors for IBEW Local Leader
When Todd Bedard, president of Manchester, N.H., IBEW Local 2320, first heard about the Union Plus Free College Program in 2018, he immediately saw the potential for its impact on the lives of his union brothers and sisters — and himself.
"As president, I wanted to be able to talk to my members about it firsthand," he says. "I signed up within a day or so and haven't looked back."
Bedard, who has been an equipment installer for the last 20-plus years, decided to pursue an associate degree in business management through the program.
"I want to see where a business degree can take me in the future," he says, adding that he may pursue a four-year college degree and possibly an MBA, something he never would have otherwise considered at 47 years old.
The Union Plus Free College Program partners with AFSCME and Eastern Gateway Community College to offer online courses and degree programs with no out of pocket cost to active or retired union members and their eligible family members, including spouses and children.
"I haven't taken a dime out of my pocket," Bedard says.
Bedard especially appreciates the flexibility of online learning, which allows him dive into schoolwork whenever he has a free moment. He's an evangelist when it comes to urging Local 2320 brothers and sisters to enroll.
"I tell everyone who will listen: If you're not doing it, you're losing money," he says.
To learn more about the Union Plus Free College Program and how to apply, visit unionplusfreecollege.org or call (888) 590-9009.
When Todd Bedard first heard about the Union Plus Free College Program in 2018, he knew it would change lives. "As my local's president, I wanted to be able to talk to my members about it firsthand," he says. "I signed up within a day or so and haven't looked back." Bedard decided to pursue an associate degree in business management and hopes to complete a four-year degree next.