Hardship Help

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.

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.

Ken Jones, a pump and still operator at a Coke (fuel) plant and United Steelworkers (USW) Local 09-12136 member from Birmingham, AL, is one of two lucky $5,000 winners of the Union Plus “What Kind of Union Car Are You?” Labor Day Sweepstakes.

Jones, who claims that he never wins anything, could not have been more surprised to learn he won the prize money for simply completing a short quiz which revealed what his ideal union-made car personality type is. Nearly 25,000 sweepstakes entries were received between August 1 and September 5, and fortunately for Jones, the odds were in his favor.

“I follow Union Plus on Facebook since I’m a rep with my union and want to stay up-to-date with all the benefits, and that’s where I saw some information about the contest. I thought I wasn’t going to win, but just for kicks I entered,” he recalled.

Jones, who currently drives a union-made vehicle made in Topeka, Kansas, says he feels strongly about buying American-made and union-made. When he learned that his ideal union-made car personality is a Cadillac CTS, he had a comical reaction.

“Well, I thought it was kind of neat. Those cars are really sharp automobiles, and if I only had enough money to buy a Cadillac CTS, I certainly would get one!” he laughed. “It definitely matches my car type — the size of it, and the little bit of a sporty look to it.”

Due to his role with his local, Jones said he is very familiar with the benefit programs Union Plus offers. He plans to use the Mortgage and Auto Buying Programs in the future, and his oldest daughter was awarded a Union Plus $1,000 scholarship a couple of years ago. He also tells his fellow union members about opportunities to save with Union Plus.

“I tell the guys I work with that being a union member has many benefits with Union Plus. You have the wireless discounts, the Mortgage Program, discounts on tires, the insurance programs. There’s quite a long list. Not only does it pay to belong to be part of the union, but with this sweepstakes, it really pays to belong!” Jones said.

When asked about what he plans to do with the $5,000, Jones told Union Plus that he plans to spend some of it on his wife and daughters, and put the remainder into savings.

The prize money for this contest was provided by TrueCar, the provider of the Union Plus Auto Buying Service. Union members looking for a great deal on a vehicle save an average of $3,279 off MSRP and receive special rebates for buying union-made. Click here to learn more!