Hardship Help

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!