Member Stories

Tom Bixler has worked hard at his job making glassware molds at a manufacturer in Toledo, Ohio for over four decades.

Bixler bought his home in 2000, and in 2013 he refinanced the mortgage – this time through the Union Plus Mortgage Program. 

With financing available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, the Union Plus Mortgage Program helps union members, their parents, and their children purchase or refinance their homes while also offering exclusive union member benefits.

Mortgage transactions took place over phone and email until closing, when Wells Fargo sent a title company representative to Bixler’s home. 

“It was all taken care of over the phone, and it was just as smooth as silk,” Bixler says.  

Bixler was also able to set up automated mortgage payments and increase the frequency of the payments to twice monthly instead of once per month. More frequent payments mean Bixler pays less interest on the loan. 

“That’s one of the great benefits for me,” he says. “It’s easy, you don’t have to worry about it, don’t have to think about it and you can actually pay it off early. That’s one of the things I like about Wells Fargo and got me sold on it after I got the mortgage.”

Another benefit of the Union Plus Mortgage Program is the added security through the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program, which Bixler said he learned about through an email from Union Plus. The Mortgage Assistance Program provides interest-free loans and grants to eligible union members to help them make their mortgage payments in the event they become disabled, unemployed, locked out, or go on strike¹. 

“I look at all [the Union Plus benefits] to see if there’s something available for whatever I’m doing,” Bixler, who is also a Union Plus Credit Cardholder, says. 

To learn more about the benefits of the Union Plus Mortgage Program, visit unionplus.org/mortgage. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lisa Pedersen, of Revere, Mass., is trailblazer in her field. She says she was "the first girl in [her] area" when she started as a gas leak investigator and repair person for the National Grid.

"I've been with the same company and the United Steelworkers for 33 years," Pedersen, a member of USW Local 120124 says.

When her workforce was tested by a seven-month long work stoppage recently, Pedersen counted herself lucky to have a powerful tool on her side: her Union Plus mortgage.

Pedersen and her husband refinanced their house around 2005 with the Union Plus Mortgage Program. A major draw was the payment assistance program.

"I heard about the Mortgage Assistance Program, which helps make payments when you're out of work," Pedersen recalls. "I had seen the difficulties for other people during a prior work stoppage and heard about the Union Plus strike benefits."

The Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program provides interest-free loans and grants to help union members make mortgage payments when they're disabled, unemployed, furloughed, locked out or on strike. Eligible members must have had a Union Plus mortgage for at least a year.

A Mortgage Assistance strike grant ended up covering Pedersen's mortgage during three critical months in the winter, when her husband wasn't working his seasonal job as a lobsterman.

"I'm blown away by the Mortgage Assistance Program," Pedersen says. "I want people to understand how much you gave to us. I'm so grateful."

She considers the Union Plus Mortgage Program to be a unique asset of her union membership.

"Having this program available is invaluable. If there's something like that offered to you, you have to have it," Pedersen emphasizes.

Learn MORE ABOUT
UNION PLUS MORTGAGE PROGRAM

Derek Gusoskey has worked in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard since 2013 as a member of International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB). He's a lead steward of Local 290, specifically Shop 26, the Welders.

"I am a member of the U.S. Department of Defense," Gusoskey says. "We work on nuclear submarines and nuclear aircraft carriers."

Gusoskey found professional and financial stability through his union after suffering financial setbacks from a bad real estate investment and the 2008 market crash.

"My wife and I hit rough patches along the way," he recalls. "Then we found our current home in 2016."

Gusoskey and his wife decided to refinance their home this year with the Union Plus Mortgage Company. Though he went into the refi process with low expectations, Gusoskey now says he "can't speak highly enough" of the Union Plus Mortgage Company team.

"I'd worked to repair my credit," he notes. "I was skeptical because I've been burned so many times before."

He continues, "Union Plus went above and beyond and really takes you under their wing. There's no catch—it’s just a perk of being a union member."

Gusoskey also has high praise for the refinance process overall.

"Everything happened on or before the timeline they gave me. It was all really great."

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 hardship mortgage assistance from Union Plus in the event of income loss due to disability, unemployment or strike/lockout.

"I go around telling everyone about Union Plus every day I can," Gusoskey says.

To learn more about Union Plus Mortgage Company, call 855 UNION 27 (855-864-6627) or visit unionplusmortgage.com.

Leslie Sanford has lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania her whole life and has been a Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) member for much of that time. She is a billing supervisor at a wastewater treatment facility where she's worked for the last 21 years.

Sanford bought her current home in 2008 and refinanced it a couple years ago. Both times, she turned to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, which works with Union Plus to provide special benefits for union members.

"My Wells loan officer told me I would qualify for a gift card after closing," Sanford recalls of her 2017 refinance. "I remember I got a $300 gift card thanks to being a union member."

When union members purchase or refinance a home with Wells Fargo through the Union Plus Mortgage Program, they get $300 award for refinancing and $500 award for home purchases.¹ Additional benefits for veterans are available from Union Plus.

"It was excellent," Sanford says of her experience with the Union Plus Mortgage Program. "I had no issues whatsoever. They were very diligent with any questions that I had and they would get back to me within a timely manner. Things ran very smoothly."

Sanford entered last year's Union Plus Home for the Holidays Sweepstakes for Union Plus mortgage holders on a whim.

"You can’t win anything if you don't try," she says.

To her surprise, Sanford was chosen as one of five winners and got a check for $3,000.

Instead of using her prize money for holiday splurges, Sanford re-invested it in her home.

"I really appreciated the opportunity to be able to enter the sweepstakes, and of course, win," Sanford says. "I thought it was wonderful, especially since I'm a single mom. I was pouring all this money and time and effort into getting my daughter through college and now I can focus back on the things I need to do around the house."

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
UNION PLUS MORTGAGE PROGRAM 

James White has been a member of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART) his entire career. He’s been the SMART Director of Organizing for the past 12 years and has worked for the International for two decades.

White has also been a loyal longtime customer of AT&T. Union Plus offers union members and retirees exclusive discounts and benefits with AT&T through the Union Plus Wireless Program.

"We’ve been with AT&T for a long time," White says. "We stayed with them when they became union and then the union discount was an added plus."

When White and other union members choose AT&T, they support more than 150,000 union members at the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier. With the Union Plus Wireless Program, union members and retirees receive 15% monthly service charge discounts on qualified wireless plans¹ and 20% discounts on select phone accessories.²

As Director of Organizing for SMART, White spends a lot of time on the road meeting with workers. He urges SMART members to take advantage of Union Plus benefits like the Union Plus Wireless Program.

White also encourages members to download the Union Plus Deals app on their smart phones. The app gives union members access to thousands of discounts on everything from pizza and movie tickets to car rentals and local attractions.

"You go out to eat once or twice a month, or you go to the movies, you use the Union Plus app and see what discounts they have," White says. "It makes it that much easier to save a few bucks."

To learn more about wireless discounts for union members, visit unionplus.org/att.

To explore Union Plus everyday discounts, visit unionplus.org/entertainment and follow the instructions to register for discounts with Abenity.

Tim Samsel shares a phone plan with his wife and two sons: that means a lot of electronics in his house. So when Samsel's union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), emailed its members about AT&T wireless plan discounts through the Union Plus Wireless Program, Samsel and his wife were eager to check it out.

"We went into the local AT&T store to find out and see if we could get a better deal on our family phone plan," Samsel recalls. "Sure enough, it saved us money."

When the AT&T staff realized he was a NATCA member, they applied the Union Plus Wireless Program discount to the Samsels' existing AT&T phone plan.

When Samsel and other union members choose AT&T, they support more than 150,000 union members at the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier. With the Union Plus Wireless Program, union members and retirees receive a 15% monthly service charge discount on qualified wireless plans¹ and a 20% discount on select phone accessories.²

The Samsels also use the Union Plus Deals mobile phone app, which members can use to get discounts on everything from pizza and movie tickets to car rentals and local attractions.

"Our family is making a more conscious effort to see if there are better deals available for union families through the app," Samsel says.

Samsel recently retired after a long career as an air traffic controller — more than 28 years. He worked with a lot of younger men and women who are new to NATCA and he made it a point to tell them about the benefits offered through Union Plus.

"The younger workforce doesn’t realize the discounts are even there," Samsel says. "Myself and the other guys make sure they know to look for discounts through the union."

To learn more about wireless discounts for union members, visit unionplus.org/att.

To explore Union Plus everyday discounts, visit unionplus.org/entertainment and follow the instructions to register for discounts with Abenity and start saving.