Member Stories

One year into home ownership, Carrie Comer already knows the countless benefits to no longer renting. A longtime apartment-dweller, she bought her first home last year.

“It’s about security, peace of mind, safety, confidence,” said Comer, a member of AFT Local 1 in Chicago, Ill. “I have a son; for him, it’s stability. Home ownership means a lot.”

The sweetness of the security and stability just got a little sweeter for Comer, who was a second-place winner in the Union Plus Home Sweet Home contest.

Homeowners with a Union Plus Mortgage were eligible to win either a first-place prize of two monthly mortgage payments or a second-place prize of one monthly mortgage payment (up to $1500 each). Contestants simply needed to upload a photo of their homes and submit an essay explaining what home ownership means to them.

“I was on the Union Plus website looking for car rental discounts and just came about it, so I decided to apply,” Comer said. “The process was simple as far as uploading the picture and the statement was genuine about what being a homeowner means. It made it pretty easy.”

Perfect Timing

Comer, who teaches preschool special education, said the timing of the prize money was perfect.

“I’m a teacher, so we don’t get paid in the summer,” she said. “They allowed me to choose the month, but June was the perfect month.”

One payment may not seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, but Comer said it goes a long way.

“It makes a huge difference, regardless of whether I was working in the summer or not,” she said. “There’s always something that can be done with extra money. I’m a homeowner now, so I’m finding projects; that’s what I’m going to put it toward. Everything helps in this economy.”

More Security, More Freedom

Comer was introduced to the Union Plus Mortgage program through her mortgage officer, who explained the program to her.

“The process of obtaining it was simple as far as getting someone to sign the paperwork verifying that I am a union member,” she said. “Moving forward, there wasn’t anything that hindered my ability to obtain it.”

That meant freedom from apartment living.

“I had some bad experiences with renting,” Comer said. “You don’t control who’s in your building; you can get a bad tenant below or above you. And I just didn’t feel safe anymore. There are so many more benefits to home ownership as opposed to renting.”

Moreover, the Union Plus Mortgage program meant additional peace of mind.

”My interest rate won’t change; it’s a fixed rate,” said Comer.

The Benefits of a Union Mortgage Program

The Union Plus Mortgage program, with financing provided by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, has provided $43.6 billion in mortgages to help more than 200,000 union members and their families buy or refinance a home. It is packed with special benefits tailored to meet the needs of active or retired union members, as well as their parents and children, who want to buy or refinance a home. Union members who are first-time buyers even have the opportunity to receive a $500 First-Time Home Award from Union Plus.

Some of the other benefits of the Union Plus Mortgage program include:

• Hardship Assistance – Union Plus Mortgage Assistance helps members and their families who are unemployed, recently disabled, on strike, or locked out make their mortgage payments with interest-free loans and grants. Mortgage Assistance has provided almost $10 million to help members keep their loans current and stay in their homes.
• Award Card – Union members and their families may receive a $500 Wells Fargo My Mortgage GiftSM award card after closing on a purchase or refinance loan.*
• Incentive for First-Time Home Buyers – Union members who are first-time buyers can apply for a $500 First-Time Home Award from Union Plus. Active or retired union members who used the Union Plus Mortgage program to purchase their first home are eligible to apply. They simply need to fill out an application and provide a short, written description of their Union Plus Mortgage program experience and why home ownership matters.

Click here to learn more about the Union Plus Mortgage program >>

And if you have a home to buy or sell, look into Union Plus Real Estate Services, which provides discounts to union families, over 6,000 experienced, pre-screened agents nationwide, and even offers a cash-back rebate program, available in most states.

Your union and Union Plus are looking out for you. 

*Eligible individuals can receive the Wells Fargo My Mortgage Gift^SM promotion in the amount of $500.00 approximately 6 weeks after closing on a new purchase or refinance loan secured by a first mortgage or deed of trust with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, subject to qualification, approval and closing, when identifying themselves as eligible under the Union Plus Mortgage program. The My Mortgage Gift^SM promotion is not available with any Wells Fargo Three-Step Refinance SYSTEM® program, The Relocation Mortgage Program^SM or the HOME program. Only one award permitted per new loan. This promotion cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount or rebate. This promotion is void where prohibited, transferable, and subject to change or cancellation with no prior notice. Gifts may constitute taxable income. Federal, state and local taxes, and any use of the gift not otherwise specified in the Terms and Conditions provided at receipt of gift are the sole responsibility of the My Mortgage Gift^SM recipient. Please see Terms and Conditions document for more information.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. © 2016 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801

Being part of a union family has benefitted Megan McClain of Cedar Lake, IN, throughout her life. Her father's union wages and benefits meant security and opportunity during her childhood. Today, she's still benefitting from her father's UA membership thanks to the Union Plus Mortgage Program, which helped her buy her first new home.

"As a young kid I had no idea what a union was," Megan McClain says. "But my father would go to UA meetings, and my mother would always tell me how important our union health care was. It made me feel secure, knowing I'd be OK."

Her father, Daniel McClain, joined United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) Local 597 when he was 19 years old and recently retired after 41 years.

Megan wanted the feeling of security that comes from owning her own home. "But as a first-time home buyer," she says, "I was nervous for obvious reasons. Will I get approved? Will I be able to get a loan to fit my needs? Will I be able to afford the closing costs?"

First-time home buyers may be unaware that closing costs can add thousands of dollars to the cost of purchasing a home. "I'd heard nothing but haunted stories about closing costs. To my surprise, another perk from Union Plus came my way - they were able to lower my closing costs significantly. Saving big on closing costs is like winning the lottery!"

Union Plus Mortgages Offer a Safety Net

The Union Plus Mortgage Program, which can help union members, their parents and children save $495 or more in closing costs, is a smart choice in tough times. And the tougher the times get, the better it can be to have a union mortgage!

That's because only the Union Plus Mortgage Program comes with assistance benefits. The Mortgage Assistance Program, a union-only program, can cover your Union Plus Mortgage payment if you're out of work due to unemployment, disability, or strike. The program provides interest-free loans to union members, as well as their parents and children, who have had a Union Plus Mortgage for 12 months or more. The first $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid.

"We went through a strike in my second year as a teacher," McClain, a unionized teacher says. "So I know how valuable that peace of mind can be."

Beyond the savings and peace of mind, there is one more reason to choose a union mortgage. First-time home buyers who choose the Union Plus Mortgage Program may apply for the First-Time Homebuyer Award: a $500 check to help cover costs associated with your new home. Since the program's inception, more than $300,000 have been awarded: the perfect welcome to a new home.

These days McClain just loves being a homeowner. "It is fabulous to wake up, look around, and actually see all your hard work and long-time savings," she says. "I get such a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment to see how far I have come. The day I was given my keys was the day I finally felt my dream come true. Thanks to Union Plus, a childhood dream became a reality."

From her secure union childhood to the security of homeownership with a union mortgage, unions have helped Megan McClain achieve the American dream. And her father couldn't be more proud. "I'm thankful she could benefit again from my years of union membership," Daniel McClain says.
 

For IBEW Local 25 member Jared Crist, moving his wife, Allison, and two-year old daughter to a new house was important.

He wanted a bigger house for her to grow up in, as well as a better school district for her to attend. Buying a new house in Mount Sinai, NY, while also selling their current home, was quite a task though. That’s where participating SIRVA agent, Cathleen, stepped in.

“Everything she said happened,” Allison recalls. “She guided us through the process of purchasing our new house, and as soon as our offer was accepted she helped list our old home. She was knowledgeable, knew the area, and helped us get multiple offers within one week because she priced it well.”

Allison was paying her Union Plus Credit Card bill when she noticed other services from Union Plus offers. When going through those benefits, she noticed those that offered help with moving. 

“I saw the PODs discounts which I thought would be helpful, but then I noticed the SIRVA Real Estate Rewards program,” Allison said. There is no pressure from SIRVA; they set up multiple interviews with real estate agents and we got to interview them. If you don’t like the ones they set up, they’ll set up more interviews, no questions asked. That wasn’t the case for us, though. Cathleen was our first interview and we loved her,” Allison said.

After the Crist’s offer was accepted, they were speaking with the inspector of their new home.

“I called and they said we were eligible for the Union Plus Mortgage program because my husband was a union member,” Allison said.” We got [a] $500 gift card which was a great benefit with our mortgage.”

Now that the Crist’s are settled into their new house with the help of their SIRVA agent, they can enjoy spending time with their daughter.

“We’re excited we have a house like this for her to grow up in. We couldn’t have done it without Cathleen.”

The Union Plus Real Estate Program, powered by SIRVA¹, offers $50 for every $10,000 in home value after closing when you use a Union Plus Real Estate Rewards agent to buy or sell a home. For example, if you purchase a $250,000 home, you would receive $1,250 back. Every SIRVA agent is pre-screened, with over 4,600 agents participating in the program.

To learn more about the Union Plus benefits offered to IBEW members, visit unionplus.org.

Keith Ervin relishes weekends spent golfing on a challenging course or biking along a scenic route, so when it came time to buy a new car, the prospect of being stuck in a dealer’s showroom made the OPEIU member feel worse than any triple bogey or blown-out gears ever could.

Fortunately, Ervin tapped into the Union Plus Auto Buying Service, a program administered by TrueCar, that can save union members thousands of dollars off the sticker price and hours of frustration haggling over the cost of a new vehicle. The program also rewards members with rebates of up to $300 – a benefit unmatched by any other auto buying program.

“Without question, I saved a lot of time and money by using the program,” says Ervin, of Takoma Park, MD. “It exceeded my expectations in every respect. I got the car I wanted – with the features I wanted – at a great price and I didn’t have to spend hours waiting for a sales manager to approve the deal.”

By using the Union Plus Auto Buying Service, car buyers like Ervin can obtain pricing from local dealers in minutes online, with a savings of about $2,503 off the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price(MSRP) on new cars and trucks. The program will also serve as an advocate if there are problems associated with the car buying experience. Moreover, union members could pocket up to $650 if they take advantage of the following rebates:

• Union-Made Vehicle Rebate – In addition to supporting union autoworkers, car buyers who purchase a new union-made car or truck receive a $100 rebate.
• Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Green/Union-Made Vehicle Rebate – Union members can help the environment and also receive a $200 rebate with the purchase of a union-made EPA Green vehicle.

To be eligible for the various rebates, union members must participate in the TrueCar auto-buying program through the Union Plus website. Click here to learn more >>

Ervin certainly took advantage of this program’s offerings, saving about $4,500 off the MSRP plus receiving the $200 Green/Union-Made Vehicle. Participation in the program also made trading in his 2001 car for a new Ford Escape much easier as well. “It’s not often that I buy a new car, so I wanted to make sure I selected the right one. I did a lot of research on my own, so I knew the exact features that I wanted. Using the Union Plus Auto Buying Service, I got the model, color and features that I wanted.” The new SUV has not only made Ervin and his wife happier, it has also provided his two Treeing Walker Coonhounds with more room to romp.

Union Plus was there for Ervin through every step of the car buying process, even helping him with his research. Ervin used ConsumerReports.org, the online version of the trusted product and services publication, to make sure he was getting the best car for him. ConsumerReports.org allows instant access to ratings and recommendations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Through Union Plus, union members can subscribe to ConsumerReports.org for just $22 a year, a savings of 27 percent. Thanks to the research he did and the behind-the-scenes negotiating of TrueCar, Ervin spent only a few hours at the dealership. “The haggling, even for what I would get for my trade-in, was done by TrueCar. I basically just had to test drive the car and sign some paperwork,” says Ervin.

Though he’d rather be driving a golf cart, Ervin thinks being behind the wheel of his new Ford Escape is the next best thing. “I don’t drive much; I even bike to work,” explains Ervin. “But the Escape is exactly what I wanted and the car buying experience was the best one I ever had. The Union Plus Auto-Buying Service was a big reason why.”

The Union Plus Auto-Buying Service is just one of many ways that Union Plus saves union families money. 

This past August, thousands of Communications Workers of America (CWA) members from Virginia to New England bravely went on strike against Verizon to protect their jobs, pay and benefits. Thanks to Union Plus, workers on the picket line didn't need to worry about missing a home payment when their paycheck stopped.

Sixteen CWA members at Verizon received $36,640 in interest-free loans and grants to cover their September mortgage payments during the August strike. Nearly $16,000 was grant money that never needs to be repaid.

Peace of Mind for 28-Year CWA Member

Mitchell Jakuboski of Brooklyn, NY, and CWA Local 1101 was one of the Verizon strikers helped by Union Plus.

As Jakuboski grabbed his picket sign, he also picked up the phone to request aid from the Union Plus Mortgage Program. Jakuboski, has been a CWA member for nearly 29 years. He recalled all too well his last strike in 1989, which lasted 17 weeks. While he is proud to stand with his union, then as now, he also remembers the financial strain he endured.

"I started having flashbacks," Jakuboski said, "only it was going to be even tougher this time around because I now have both a home - and family - to protect."

When he bought his home five years earlier, Jakuboski selected a union mortgage which not only saved him money on his closing costs, but also came with a unique benefit - the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program - which provides the peace of mind union workers need during difficult times.

"These are very hard times," he says, "and union families need all the protection we can get. It just makes sense, if you're buying a home, get a union mortgage too."

Saving Members' Homes

The Mortgage Assistance Program provides interest-free loans to union members, as well as their parents and children, who have had a Union Plus Mortgage for 12 months or more and who miss work due to unemployment, disability, strike or lockout. For first-time benefit users, up to $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid.

"I was a little skeptical when I first heard about it," he says. "The more they told me, the better it sounded. Still, I figured I'd never have to use it."

When the strike was declared, Jakuboski called Union Plus to tap into the assistance. "They were amazing," he says. He applied for the help, was approved, and Union Plus paid his September house payment. "It really took the stress off both me and my family." Paying the loan back isn't stressful, either. Payments can be repaid for as little as $75 a month.

Still, he made repayment a priority. The strike was called off after two weeks and workers returned to work under the terms of the existing contract though there still isn't a contract settlement as of Nov. 1. However, if the strike had continued, so would have the mortgage assistance.

For strikes or lockouts lasting longer than 30 days, Union Plus will cover your mortgage payment for up to 6 months. These benefits do not need to be repaid and are a one-time benefit for life.

"I paid off my loan just as soon as I had the money because I wanted the funds to be available for the next person who needs it." To help make sure, Jakuboski has been spreading the word, telling his union brothers and sisters about the union program. One has already refinanced into a Union Plus Mortgage just to get this protection, says Jakuboski.

Over $8 Million in Assistance to Union Families

Considering the purchase or refinance of a home? The Union Plus Mortgage Program offers a full-range of mortgage products for union members, their parents, and children.

Since its inception, this special union benefit program has paid out over $11 million in assistance, helping union members keep their home loans current. To learn more about the Union Plus Mortgage Program, call 1-800-848-6466. You may also visit UnionPlus.org/Mortgage.

At an age when many are living in a house full of roommates, bunking at a friend's home, or sleeping in their childhood bedroom, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 1546 member, Carlos Martinez stands out among his generation. Thanks to the Union Plus Mortgage program, Martinez, 21, of Chicago, Illinois, has already achieved the American dream of home ownership.  Martinez exemplifies how the Union Plus Mortgage program can help active and retired union members and their families own a home of their own. 

The Union Plus Mortgage program with financing provided by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, features unique benefits designed to meet the needs of union families. The program has provided over $43 billion in mortgages to help more than 260,000 union members buy or refinance a home. 

Union Plus Mortgage program benefits are available to retired and active union members, their parents and children. Some of the benefits of the program include:

Some of the other benefits of the Union Plus Mortgage program include:

• Hardship Assistance¹ – Union Plus Mortgage Assistance helps members and their families who are unemployed, recently disabled, on strike, or locked out make their mortgage payments with interest-free loans and grants. Mortgage Assistance has provided more than $11 million to help members keep their loans current and stay in their homes.
• Award Card – Union members and their families receive a Wells Fargo My Mortgage Gift^SM award card after closing on a purchase or refinance loan.²

"I really am glad that my loan officer at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage told me I was eligible for a Union Plus Mortgage," says Martinez. "I not only got a mortgage I could afford, I also now have special protections to help pay my mortgage if I can't work. I don't know of another mortgage that would help union members the way the Union Plus Mortgage does”. 

Martinez adds, "My fiancée and I are excited to start our lives together in our own home.  It's a good size rambler and because it was just renovated, we don't need to do any major work on it.  Plus, it's a great neighborhood -- the people are friendly and they are family-oriented. It's a great fit. Thank you, Union Plus, for helping me achieve my goals every step of the way. Buying a home can be stressful, but Union Plus and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage had my back." 

Martinez' new home is a short drive to the food processing plant where he has worked for the past three years. It is the same facility where his father, Carlos Martinez, Sr., also a member of UFCW Local 1546, has worked for 17 years. Despite having grown up in a union household, Martinez was unaware of all the Union Plus discounts and services available to union families. 

"I'm glad I didn't miss out. I hope union members check out all the Union Plus discounts, and if they're looking to buy a house, they need to check out the mortgage program. Union Plus Mortgage is the best program. It can save you money, give you financial security if you can't work, and help with the expense of being a homeowner," says Martinez.
 

Choosing a career and buying a home are two of life's biggest decisions. Jason Collin of Tinley Park, IL, and International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 2, made sure to go union all the way. Like his father, a 30-year union man, Collin joined the IUEC. And when it came time to buy a house, he took his father's advice and chose a Union Plus Mortgage - the only one that comes with the mortgage protection for union families. It was an important decision he would be very glad he made!

First came an injury when Collin hurt his shoulder moving a door at work. Then came a layoff when commercial construction stalled during the bad economy. Both events hurt Collin's wallet.

But as every working family knows, mortgage payments don't slow down just because the economy does - they keep coming due even during tough times. "I was running into some issues with money," he says, "and the mortgage needed to be paid."

Collin knew he was going to have to do something so he tapped into the assistance that came with his Union Plus Mortgage. "That's why we got a union mortgage in the first place," he says. "We saved money on our closing costs and that was great. But the big thing was the Mortgage Assistance Program. I wanted to make sure my family - and home - was protected."

The IUEC Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program Saves Members' Homes

The Mortgage Assistance Program is a union-only program that can cover your mortgage payment if you're out of work during unemployment, disability or strike. The program provides interest-free loans to union members, as well as their parents and children, who have had a Union Plus Mortgage for 12 months or more. The first $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid.

Collin received three months of assistance, and then another two months for a total of almost $5,000 in assistance."It was easy," he says. "I called and they were very nice about it. I had the help I needed in less than a month."

Collin has friends and family members who have been laid off and even knows some who have lost their homes. He recommends union members who are considering the purchase of a home to make the same smart decision he did and choose a union mortgage. "There are a lot of programs out there that say they help working families," he says. "The Union Plus Mortgage is one of the few that really does what it says. It sure helped me."

"I'm glad I went union and I'm glad I went with Union Plus Mortgage," he says. "They helped me protect my home, and that means the world to me."

$11 Million in Assistance to Union Families

Considering the purchase or refinance of a home? The Union Plus Mortgage Program offers a full-range of mortgage products for union members, their parents and children.

Since its inception, this special union benefit program has paid out over $11 million in assistance, helping union members keep their home loans current. 

Herbert Collins of Chicago, IL, and Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 5 faced stress and instability as the recession left him without work for months. Fortunately, his union benefits came through for him by saving his home two separate times over the past five years. Because Collins had a Union Plus Mortgage, he was able to tap into assistance to cover the mortgage payments when he was out of work.

"The Union Plus Mortgage Program has been great," Collins says. "It helped get me through tough times over the last several years and protected my home. I just want to say how thankful I am."

Collins, a LIUNA member for nearly 24 years, has seen his share of economic slowdowns over the years. He says it was difficult to make ends meet both in 2008 and with the recent recession. "I've always put my faith in God to get me through," he says. "It was tough."

For too many working families, conditions like these have resulted in evictions and foreclosures. But as a union member with a union mortgage, Collins was able to protect his home with a unique Union Plus benefit.

The Mortgage Assistance Program, a union-only program, can cover your Union Plus Mortgage payment if you're out of work during unemployment, disability, or strike. The program provides interest-free loans to union members, as well as their parents and children, who have had a Union Plus Mortgage for 12 months or more. The first $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid.

When the Economy Stalled, Union Benefits Were There to Help

Collins learned about this union member-only benefit at a union-sponsored safety seminar several years ago. "There was a table set up, and I talked to some nice people about the program," he says. "I picked up a brochure, took it home, and put it in my files. Of course, I never thought I'd actually need it."

But Collins did end up needing it - twice. "I first tapped into the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program in 2008," says Collins who received a no-interest loan to cover six months of his mortgage payments. "It helped me pay my mortgage and as soon as work picked up again, I started paying it back as fast as I could."

Because he had paid his assistance loan back, Collins was eligible for six more months of help the next time work slowed down. He also received a $1,000 grant which does not need to be paid back.

Today, Collins is back to work full-time with the stress of the recession behind him and he tells everyone he works with about the benefits of having a Union Plus Mortgage. "Union Plus came through for me, just when I needed help most," says Collins.

$8 Million in Assistance to Union Families

Since its inception, this special union benefit program has paid out over $8 million in assistance, helping union members keep their home loans current.

Considering the purchase or refinance of a home? The Union Plus Mortgage Program, provided by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, offers a full-range of mortgage products for union members, their parents and children.

To learn more, visit the Union Plus Mortgage Program webpage or call 1-866-802-7307. Reps dedicated to the union member market will be happy to answer your questions.

Pop! Corrie Adams of Chicago, IL, and International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Local 710, stepped off of his forklift and felt a sharp pain in his knee. He didn't know it at the time but he was going to be out of work for six months. And the assistance that came with his Union Plus Mortgage was going to play a bigger part in his life than he had ever imagined.

Life can be funny that way. Adams didn't even know about mortgage assistance when he decided to refinance his home four years ago. Like many homeowners, he was just looking for a low interest rate. But when he learned that the program could offer protection in the event of unemployment, strike or disability, he figured it made sense to get a Union Plus Mortgage - just in case. "I never expected to use the help," Adams says.

Adams had surgery, went through rehab, and missed six months of work and paychecks. But through the whole ordeal, he and his family didn't have to worry because he had the assistance benefit that comes with every Union Plus Mortgage.

"Union Plus is very beneficial for the working man," Adams says. "Unions help stabilize the economy and really take a load off during tough times. I'm thankful that Union Plus is looking out for working families like mine."

Union Plus Mortgages Keep Teamsters in Their Homes

The Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program is a union-only program that can help you keep your home. The program provides interest-free loans to union members, as well as their parents and children, who have had a Union Plus Mortgage for 12 months or more. The first $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid. The loans can even be repaid for as little as $75 a month, which makes it easier to get back on your feet after a tough time.

"It was like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders," Adams says. "Not having to worry about my mortgage during my recovery was a huge asset. I was so thankful to Union Plus and thankful for being a Teamster."

Protecting his home meant protecting his wife, three children and his future, which is why he considers his choice of a union mortgage one of the smartest financial decisions he's ever made.

$11 Million in Assistance Available to Qualified Members

Since its inception, this special union benefit program has paid out over $8 million in assistance, helping union members keep their home loans current. And unlike most other mortgages, Union Plus Mortgages are guaranteed not to be sold, but will be held through Chase for the life of the mortgage.

Considering the purchase or refinance of a home? The Union Plus Mortgage Program, provided by Chase, offers a full-range of mortgage products for union members, their parents and children.

1. Understand your members' needs.
2. Know the programs.
3. Train your committee.
4. Appoint or elect a benefits coordinator.
5. Integrate benefits strategy into the overall campaign.
6. Develop special benefits materials for each campaign.
7. Union Privilege can help you respond to member questions.
8. Understand how to use the financial programs.
9. Continually evaluate.
10. Consult with Union Privilege.

1. Understand your members' needs. Conduct a survey to find out your members' awareness of the national Union Plus benefits and to determine interest in local benefits. Click here for an example of a survey to send to your members.

2. Know the programs. Understand the key benefits of each program. The more you know about each program, the better informed your members will be. An easy way to learn about Union Plus program is to use them yourself!

3. Train your committee. Take advantage of our resources to help you in conducting training on the Union Plus programs. To order these materials, call Union Privilege at 1-800-472-2005, e-mail leaders@unionplus.org or print and return this material order form.

4. Appoint or elect a benefits coordinator. You may want to form a special benefits committee to focus on benefits strategy including development of special local benefits to supplement the national programs. The committee should include representatives from any organizing or negotiating committees. A benefits coordinator should be appointed to help coordinate all activities and be the one point of contact.

5. Integrate benefits strategy into the overall campaign. Position the benefits in coordination with the overall theme for the campaign. Examples include:

• Family-focused ("Benefits to Help Your Families Live Better.")
• Collective empowerment ("Through the power of our union and the AFL-CIO")
• Money savings ("It doesn't cost to be a union member - It pays!")

Give careful consideration to the timing of the rollout of each benefit. An early rollout gives management more time to counter the benefits with programs of their own, rollout too late may not give enough time for the benefits to make an impact.

6. Develop special benefits materials for each campaign. Benefits lend themselves well to fliers, brochures, newsletter articles, e-mail communications, posters, window decals and coupons. Many unions hold meetings or events with benefits as a focus, such as lunch-n-learn meetings, benefits fairs, raffles, etc. See samples of approaches used in other successful campaigns. Click here for digital banners and print materials that you are free to use!

7. Union Plus can help you respond to member questions. If you members want to learn more or need assistance with Union Plus programs, you may either refer them to our frequently asked questions, call the Union Plus leader line at 1-800-472-2005, or e-mail leaders@unionplus.org.

8. Understand how to use the financial programs: We can't guarantee every member will qualify for every credit card or mortgage that Union Plus offers, but we can guarantee that they understand every program and have a clear understanding of how the decisions are made. Tell your members to call the Union Plus Member Advocate at 1-800-472-2005 to resolve such an issue.

For union members looking for help, Union Plus Credit Counseling has many free debt management services for union members.

9. Continually evaluate. Are the benefits helping you reach your objectives? Are members satisfied with the programs? What more can be done? You must continually evaluate if the benefits are working for you.

10. Consult with Union Plus. Union Plus has an organizing expert with vast experience on staff. We can review materials for accuracy before printing. Discuss strategy with us. Call 1-800-472-2005 or you send an e-mail to leaders@unionprivilege.org.