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AFT Member Finds Financial Relief with Union Plus
When AFT Local 1766 member Tammy Clark needed some financial help, Union Plus had her back.
“I had some high credit card bills I was trying to minimize,” she says of her decision to seek outside support.
Clark first learned about Union Plus Credit Counseling while thumbing through a benefits brochure from her local.
AFT members are eligible for a free consumer credit counseling session through Union Plus, offered in partnership with the non-profit Money Management International (MMI).
After her free initial session, Clark enrolled in a customized debt management plan designed by a certified consumer credit counseling advisor. Union Plus offers a Debt Management Plan (DMP) through the Credit Counseling program and pays for the enrollment fee on behalf of the member.
“Everything was easy to set up,” Clark continues. “The people I spoke with were very helpful and explained everything.”
With her plan in place, she could take debt management off her mind.
“Now I have everything set up so it’s easy. [The debt management plan] has been lowering my credit card debt significantly.”
After one year of successful participation in the program, Clark was eligible to receive a $360 Union Plus Debt Management Plan (DMP) grant to reimburse the monthly MMI program fees.
“I [filled] out a simple form and got a check within a few weeks,” she notes.
Clark believes the program will help her pay off her debt 10 to 15 years faster than she was originally projecting.
“It’s a great program that helps lower payments for credit cards to get the interest down and help you get them paid off sooner. I definitely recommend it,” she says happily.
Learn more about Union Plus Credit Counseling and other Union Plus benefits and discounts for union members, visit unionplus.org.
Tammy Clark, an AFT member in New Jersey, sought financial relief in the face of intimidating credit card debt. Enrolling in a customized Debt Management Plan through the Union Plus Credit Counseling program paid off.
New Car, No Problem: AFSCME Member Enters Retirement With Ease
Eleanore Wise-Goldman, a retired member of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 843 in Washington State, reflects on her years as a social worker and active union member fondly.
“Getting kids adopted and moved into a ‘forever family’ I knew would love them—that was the highlight of my work,” Wise-Goldman says of working for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.
As a perk of her AFSCME membership, Wise-Goldman and her husband are consistent users of AFSCME Advantage benefits, including purchasing a car through the Union Plus Auto Buying Service. However, after her husband totaled their vehicle, they needed to return to the drawing board.
“This time, I got to choose the car and I wanted a hybrid,” remembers Wise-Goldman.
Using the Union Plus Auto Buying Service website, she researched and narrowed down her choices. She then called the dealer they had worked with the first time around.
“We came out of it with a Ford C-MAX. It’s an amazing car. We set up an appointment at the dealer and it was all handled very quickly.”
The Union Plus Auto Buying Service, administered by TrueCar or Union Auto Program depending on your state of residence, helps union members and their families find the right new or used car or truck at a great price and offers additional savings and benefits. The member benefits differ between the two program providers.*
Wise-Goldman recommends the Auto Buying Service to all her union friends.
“It’s so great,” she enthuses. “You don’t have to haggle or negotiate. And we got our car for an even better price than we originally saw online.”
By purchasing a hybrid vehicle through TrueCar, Wise-Goldman also received the Union Plus union-made green car** rebate that totals $200.
*Members purchasing through TrueCar receive either a $100 or $200 rebate directly from Union Plus when purchasing a new union-assembled vehicle. Members purchasing through the Union Auto Program have their choice of a lifetime drive train warranty or a three-year $5,000 buyers protection policy to cover any losses arising from strike or layoff. Visit unionplus.org/autobuying to learn more.
Between 7/1/17 and 9/30/17, the average estimated savings off MSRP presented by TrueCar Certified Dealers to users of TrueCar powered websites, based on users who configured virtual vehicles and who TrueCar identified as purchasing a new vehicle of the same make and model listed on the certificate from a Certified Dealer as of 10/31/2016, was $3,383. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives which are subject to change. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP") is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer's trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. Your actual purchase price is negotiated between you and the dealer. TrueCar does not sell or lease motor vehicles.
Report the purchase of your new or used car from a Certified Dealer within 45 days and receive additional benefits that could be worth more than $2,000. Instructions on how to report your purchase from a Certified Dealer will be provided in your welcome email when you request your Certificate(s) for new cars, or in your Used Vehicle Certificate
**EPA Green Car Make and Models Include: Chevrolet Bolt, Volt, Cruze* and Sonic*; Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid; and Ford Focus.
*Models are made in both the US and Mexico. Vehicles with VIN beginning with the number 3 are ineligible
Eleanore Wise-Goldman, a retired member of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) wanted to buy a hybrid after her husband totaled their car. Both vehicles were purchased with the Union Plus Auto Buying program.
AFSCME Member and Prison Psychologist Finds His Commuter Cool
Anthony Ngo, AFSCME Local 2620 member, commutes every day to Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, where he provides psychological counseling and group therapy to inmates.
“It’s a great job—great pay and benefits, and I love the staff,” says Ngo. “I also like the work I do.”
Ngo describes his union as supportive, and he has been a regular attendee at meetings.
“They help us out a lot,” he says of his local.
It was through AFSCME Advantage that Ngo first discovered the Union Plus Auto Buying Service. When his car started acting up, he knew it was time to start shopping.
“I have a pretty serious commute, and I really wanted to find an electric car,” says Ngo. “That’s when I decided to explore Union Plus.”
The Union Plus Auto Buying Service, administered by TrueCar or Union Auto Program depending on your state of residence, helps union members and their families find the right new or used car or truck at a great price and offers additional savings and benefits.
Because he purchased a new electric vehicle through TrueCar, Ngo received the Union Plus union-made green car** rebate that totals $200. Union members who purchase new union-made cars—no matter their environmental designation—receive a $100 rebate directly from Union Plus.
“I already had a new car that I love, and then I received the rebate. I was really caught by surprise,” said Ngo. “I had no idea I had that coming. All AFSCME members should be using the Union Plus Auto Buying Service.”
Between 7/1/17 and 9/30/17, the average estimated savings off MSRP presented by TrueCar Certified Dealers to users of TrueCar powered websites, based on users who configured virtual vehicles and who TrueCar identified as purchasing a new vehicle of the same make and model listed on the certificate from a Certified Dealer as of 10/31/2016, was $3,383. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives which are subject to change. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP") is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer's trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. Your actual purchase price is negotiated between you and the dealer. TrueCar does not sell or lease motor vehicles.
Report the purchase of your new or used car from a Certified Dealer within 45 days and receive additional benefits that could be worth more than $2,000. Instructions on how to report your purchase from a Certified Dealer will be provided in your welcome email when you request your Certificate(s) for new cars, or in your Used Vehicle Certificate.
**EPA Green Car Make and Models Include: Chevrolet Bolt, Volt, Cruze* and Sonic*; Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid; and Ford Focus.
*Models are made in both the US and Mexico. Vehicles with VIN beginning with the number 3 are ineligible.
Anthony Ngo, AFSCME Local 2620 member, purchased a new Chevy Volt with the Union Plus Auto Buying program. Because he purchased a union-made green car** he was eligible for additional savings through Union Plus.
IUOE Member Saves with Union Plus Auto Buying Service
Claire Chang, a member of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 3 in Santa Clara County, California, loves leading her technical support team at a local hospital.
Chang’s husband works in nearby Mountain View. His arduous daily commute – nearly an hour each way in rush hour traffic – recently prompted the couple to get a new car.
“It was time for our family to invest in an electric vehicle,” says Chang, who remembered seeing a mailing about the Union Plus Auto Buying Service.
“We worked with the great people at Union Plus to identify where we could get our car from a union-friendly dealer at a great price,” she recalls.
Chang and her husband had selected a Chevy Volt, an electric vehicle. Throughout the process, Chang applauded the prompt, ongoing support from Union Plus.
“The correspondence with Union Plus was very smooth and it made the whole transaction super easy,” says Chang. “We went to our pre-identified dealer lot, test drove the vehicle and bought it. We got a great deal.”
The Union Plus Auto Buying Service, administered by TrueCar, a leading price comparison service, helps union members and their families find the right new or used car or truck. With the Auto Buying Service, union members save an average of $3,402 off MSRP* on new cars.
Because Chang bought an electric vehicle, she also received the Union Plus union-made green car** rebate that totals $200. Any union-made car– no matter its environmental designation – is eligible for a $100 rebate.
“I would absolutely recommend the Union Plus Auto Buying Service to all union members – both Union Plus and this specific program have made such a difference in our lives. In short, Union Plus is wonderful,” Chang concludes.
*Between 7/1/17 and 9/30/17, the average estimated savings off MSRP presented by TrueCar Certified Dealers to users of TrueCar powered websites, based on users who configured virtual vehicles and who TrueCar identified as purchasing a new vehicle of the same make and model listed on the certificate from a Certified Dealer as of 10/31/2016, was $3,383. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives which are subject to change. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP") is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer's trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. Your actual purchase price is negotiated between you and the dealer. TrueCar does not sell or lease motor vehicles.
**EPA Green Car Make and Models Include:
- Chevrolet — Bolt, Volt, Cruze***, and Sonic***
- Chrysler — Pacifica Hybrid
- Ford — Focus
*** Check the VIN number of these vehicles. Some are assembled in Mexico and begin with the number 3. These are not eligible for rebates.
IUOE member Claire Chang knew it was time for her family to invest in a new vehicle. When she was ready to make a purchase she went online, found the vehicle they wanted, and connected with the Union Plus Auto Buying Service. They were able to get a great deal on their new vehicle and were eligible for additional rebates from Union Plus.
Retired AFM Member Takes Advantage of Union Plus Rebate
“The cost savings and the incentives that were provided through Union Plus made it an easy decision,” Williams, a member of AFM since 1967, says. “Our previous carrier gave us no incentives to stay with them and switching to AT&T allowed us to upgrade our phones.”
When Williams and other AFM members choose AT&T, they support more than 150,000 union members at the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier. In addition to rebates, Union Plus offers AFM members and retirees exclusive discounts on qualified AT&T wireless plans through the AT&T Signature Program.
Additionally, Union Plus Credit Cardholders may be eligible to receive a $100 rebate on an upgrade or purchase of a new smartphone, as well as up to a $150 rebate to help cover any cancellation fees or related costs when switching from another wireless provider.1
Since retiring from being a music teacher, Williams derives fulfillment from serving as the secretary treasurer for his AFM local in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He was thrilled to learn he was eligible for the AT&T smartphone rebate and said the promotion came along at exactly the right time, especially in a holiday season that stresses the wallets of most.
“It’s quite beneficial; every dollar is important,” he emphasizes. “I’m retired, and we live on a fixed income. Union Plus has always provided great opportunities to save and be thrifty. And I’m glad that Union Plus has the affiliation with a union-based wireless company in AT&T.”
“The process of obtaining the rebate was very easy,” Williams recalls. “We have been very happy with the service provided through AT&T.”
Williams says that being an AFM member is what made his career complete. He has been a Union Plus Credit Cardholder since its inception, and he regularly tells other AFM members about services provided through Union Plus.
“As soon as I learned of the Union Plus Credit Card and Union Plus’s partnerships with the unions, I took advantage of it,” he said. “Using the Union Plus card has been important for me.”
The Union Plus Credit Card2 program offers several card choices; whether you want rewards, a low intro APR for purchases, or an introductory rate for balance transfers, there is an option for you.
“As a union, we have quarterly meetings, and I always update them on services provided by Union Plus,” Williams said. “We have always expressed the benefits of being a Union Plus Credit Cardholder.”
Find the Union Plus Credit Card that is right for you at theunioncard.com.
To learn more about AT&T’s partnership with Union Plus, visit unionplus.org/att.
1You 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.
2Credit approval required. Terms and conditions apply. See www.theunioncard.com for details. Union Plus Credit Cards are issued by Capital One, N.A. pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated.
When Gary Williams began shopping for new cell phones as holiday gifts for himself and his wife Dena last year, he quickly realized it was time to switch carriers. Williams is a retired member of American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 674 and a Union Plus Credit Cardholder, which gives him access to AT&T® discounts and benefits. When he learned about the AT&T smartphone rebate available to him, choosing AT&T was a no-brainer.
For Three Winners, Car Rental Sweepstakes Opens the Door to Union Plus
This year, 14,000 union members and family members entered our car rental sweepstakes. But only three lucky drivers came out on top!
Elizabeth Hipwell of Chicago, IL is a longtime member of SAG-AFTRA, moving from New York to Los Angeles before settling down in the Windy City, retaining her membership all the while.
However, it wasn’t until recently that she realized the world of Union Plus benefits and discounts that was available to her. Hipwell happened to see a Union Plus email promoting the car rental sweepstakes in August 2018, entered on a whim, and much to her surprise became one of the winners!
Walking away with three $100 gift certificates to Hertz means she can attend her family reunion in Washington next summer, worry-free.
“How will I afford a car rental for a week?” Hipwell already fretted, anticipating ferrying around relatives and running errands for her elderly aunt.
The answer came in her unexpected win, which felt “like a blessing from above,” she says.
“I’m going to use Union Plus benefits from now on,” Hipwell enthuses. “The customer service with Union Plus is really awesome.”
David Butler, a member of the IATSE in Buffalo, NY calls his win “beginner’s luck.” He had also been unfamiliar with Union Plus programs and benefits before his win.
Butler’s recent work has focused on production design for films, one of which recently won an award at an independent film festival in Woodstock, NY.
He says, “The timing of this win could not have been more perfect.” He used the Budget gift certificates to travel cross-state to the festival and see the audience’s reception to the film in person.
“I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go to this festival or not, and when I won this contest I thought, ‘It’s a sign, I’m going!’” Butler recalls. “I wasn’t sure if my current car was going to make it, so [the prize] was very helpful and I was very excited to have won.”
Thanks to his win, Butler says, “I’ll do my best to get the word out about Union Plus in the Buffalo area. It’s really cool that there are so many different benefits.”
Michael Boylan, a retired SEIU member living in Queens, NY, thought his win was a prank since he never expects to win anything he enters. But the Union Plus sweepstakes proved to be his lucky break.
Boylan visits his snowbird friends in Florida every winter but is skipping his usual trip this year due to the recent hurricanes. Boylan is glad his gift certificates to Avis don’t have an expiration date, because there’s always next year.
Congratulations to all the winners and thank to you all the entrants. And remember, union members save up to 25% on car rental rates at six Union Plus rental car partners—Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Payless and Thrifty.
Union members Elizabeth Hipwell, David Butler, and Michael Boylan were the lucky winners of the Union Plus Car Rental Sweepstakes. Thousands of union members entered the sweepstakes, but these lucky three won $100 Hertz gift certificates.
Union Plus Helps CSEA Mom Send Son to College
Susan Portener’s son, Andrew, has always worked hard and been a high achiever. When Andrew told his mom that he wanted to go to college at the University of California, Los Angeles, she knew she would do everything she could to send him there.
An educator since 1982, Portener has been an active member of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) for the past 15 years. She first learned about the Union Plus Scholarship Program when Andrew brought home his college application materials. He applied and earned a $1,000 competitive Union Plus scholarship.
“It helped a great deal,” recalls Portener, who works as a special education paraeducator at the James Madison Elementary School in Indio, California. “Along with a scholarship from our chapter (CSEA Desert Sands Chapter 106), it went toward his first quarter tuition.”
The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation. Since 1991, the program has awarded more than $4.3 million to students of working families – more than 2,900 union families have benefited from the program. Current and retired members of CSEA, as well as spouses and dependent children, are eligible to apply.
For Portener, the scholarship Andrew earned through Union Plus was another in a long list of reasons that she values being a member of CSEA.
Learn more about the Union Plus
Scholarship Program
CSEA member Susan Portener encouraged her son to apply for the Union Plus scholarship after learning that he wanted to go to college. Her son, Andrew, earned a $1000 scholarship which he applied to his first semester tuition.
UFCW Member Snags Deluxe Wheels for Miami Trip
For Joshua Wilkins, the vacation was long-awaited. Headed to Florida for a family wedding, the UFCW Local 700 member was keen on extending his time to take a trip with his friends. Their destination? Miami.
Wilkins heads up the dairy section of a Kroger grocery in suburban Indianapolis. He also serves as a union rep at the store and stays politically active with his local.
The biggest challenge for trip-leader Wilkins was figuring out how he was going to afford a rental car.
“I was looking one night and then it hit me – I went to unionplus.org,” recalls Wilkins.
Working with the Hertz agent he contacted through the Union Plus website, Wilkins was able to get an initial discount that took hundreds of dollars off a large SUV for the week. Then the agent had an idea – why not simply rent a full-sized car and join Hertz Gold Plus Rewards?
“It was an amazing move,” says Wilkins. “I was able to obtain an additional $400 in savings by taking the agent’s advice, and when I got to Miami, I upgraded to a GMC Yukon XL that I rented at $800 for the entire week. My friends were blown away.”
Wilkins and his buddies used the vehicle to get explore deeper parts of the Everglades to see alligators, visit Little Havana and tool around South Beach for the night life.
“The trip was epic, and we had such a great time,” Wilkins reminisces.
Union Plus Car Rental rates are available exclusively to current and retired union members and their families. Visit unionplus.org/carrental to explore your options and start planning your next vacation.
When Joshua Wilkins, a UFCW Local 700 member, was looking to extend a trip to South Florida and needed a rental car, he turned to the Union Plus Car Rental program and saved hundreds of dollars. Union members can save up to 25% at six of the top car rental companies, including Avis, Budget and Hertz, which have union employees at many locations.
Labor Leader Turns to Union Plus Mortgage Company
In 2010, local union organizer Tefere Gebre and his wife Jennifer joined the millions of working families underwater as their San Diego home lost most of its value during the national mortgage crisis.
A few years after short selling their home and moving into a rental, Gebre and his wife relocated to the east coast when he earned a national leadership role as the AFL-CIO’s Executive Vice President.
They were able to buy a new home in Silver Spring, Maryland, but were saddled with a high interest rate mortgage.
“As soon as I joined the Union Plus board, we saw the opportunity to build a great mortgage program for union members and their families,” Gebre recalls.
The Union Plus Mortgage Company (UPMC), founded in 2016 by the AFL-CIO, is designed so that the labor movement gains as UPMC grows and prospers. Union members and their families are eligible to apply for financing through UPMC, which is union-owned and staffed by unionized loan officers.
“Refinancing with UPMC was so simple and hassle-free,” Gebre shares. “Our refinanced mortgage saves us more than $600 per month.”
The Union Plus Mortgage Program, with financing available through Union Plus Mortgage Company, is available for all eligible union members.
Qualifying members are eligible for special benefits for first-time homebuyers as well as:
- A $500 gift card after closing for purchasing or refinancing a home
- Special hardship mortgage assistance from Union Plus in the event of income loss due to disability, unemployment or strike/lockout
- Veterans of the Armed Services are eligible to apply for a one-time $1000 Union Plus Veterans Grant
For more information, visit unionplusmortgage.com or call 855 UNION 53 (855-864-6653).
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.
AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre used the Union Plus Mortgage Company to refinance a high interest mortgage on his new home. The Union Plus Mortgage Program, with financing available through Union Plus Mortgage Company, is available for all eligible union members.
New Car Brings Improved Commute for OPEIU Member
Boston has a reputation for having the nation’s worst gridlock. Still, each day, Sharon Matthews, who is a member of Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 6, makes the commute from her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts to her job at the Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court.
One day, Matthews’ trusty car’s check engine light illuminated. She faced the all-too-common conundrum: to repair or to replace?
“It required major exhaust and emissions systems work,” recounts Matthews. “That means it was going to be very expensive.”
Then, she remembered getting a piece of mail that highlighted the Union Plus Auto Buying service. Matthews logged onto the Union Plus website and began seriously considering a new car purchase.
The Union Plus Auto Buying Service partners with price-comparison service TrueCar to let union members research pre-screened and certified dealers, see prices online, and get additional dealer discounts, in addition to offering rebates for union-made cars.
“I found a union-made car and a car dealership that was union friendly,” Matthews recalls. “They gave me a discount on the spot. I got the cutest Chevrolet Sonic in blue. It’s easy to park on the city streets and it gets great mileage. I love driving it to work.”
The vehicle Matthews purchased made her eligible for the Union Plus union-made green car** rebate that totals $200. Union Plus automatically sends rebate checks to members who purchase qualifying union-made vehicles, with no additional paperwork from the member.
“The savings were great,” says Matthews happily. “What I didn’t expect was the rebate I received in the mail. I was in total shock.
“I can’t say enough good things about Union Plus,” she enthuses. “They save union members so much money and their benefits are great.”
* Between 7/1/17 and 9/30/17, the average estimated savings off MSRP presented by TrueCar Certified Dealers to users of TrueCar powered websites, based on users who configured virtual vehicles and who TrueCar identified as purchasing a new vehicle of the same make and model listed on the certificate from a Certified Dealer as of 10/31/2016, was $3,383. Your actual savings may vary based on multiple factors including the vehicle you select, region, dealer, and applicable vehicle specific manufacturer incentives which are subject to change. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP") is determined by the manufacturer, and may not reflect the price at which vehicles are generally sold in the dealer's trade area as not all vehicles are sold at MSRP. Each dealer sets its own pricing. Your actual purchase price is negotiated between you and the dealer. TrueCar does not sell or lease motor vehicles.
**EPA Green Car Make and Models Include:
- Chevrolet — Bolt, Volt, Cruze***, and Sonic***
- Chrysler — Pacifica Hybrid
- Ford — Focus
*** Check the VIN number of these vehicles. Some are assembled in Mexico and begin with the number 3. These are not eligible for rebates.
Sharon Matthews, who is a member of Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) used the Union Plus Auto Buying service to find and purchase a union-made vehicle. Because she bought a union-made vehicle, she was eligible for additional savings through Union Plus.