Member Stories

Sergio Hurtado joined the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) in the past year, working as a zoning inspector in Rockville, MD. A typical day on the job for him involves investigating land-use complaints and ensuring building activities comply with zoning for their areas. Recently, Hurtado learned that he was randomly selected as a $500 winner in the Union Plus 30th Anniversary American Dream Sweepstakes.

The Union Plus member benefits program is celebrating three decades of serving union members with an American dream-themed sweepstakes sponsored by the Union Plus Credit Card Program.* Each week, 12 winners were randomly drawn to receive a $500 Mastercard® gift card prize. And, one winner, Frank Valone, an AFSCME retiree, was drawn to win the $30,000 grand prize.

Hurtado said he learned about the sweepstakes by reading one of the Union Plus e-newsletters. When he was informed he had won, it was difficult for him to believe.

When asked about the American dream theme of the sweepstakes, he described what it means to him.

“The American dream is about working in an area, which is fulfilling to you. It’s about having more time for family and being able to provide for them comfortably. That’s pretty much what it is, for me anyways,” he explained. “It applies to union members’ work as well. There are always times when employees might be treated unfairly and it’s important to have the representation and support, which unions provide.”

Now that Hurtado is $500 richer, he said he is starting to think of a few ways to spend the winnings. “I probably won’t buy anything too big. I’ll probably just pay some bills and buy some presents for my family members,” he said.

To read the stories of the Union Plus American Dream Sweepstakes winners, visit unionplus.org/winners.

At the age of 87, Florence Gardy doesn’t skip a beat when talking about her 29-year career as a registration coordinator at a local university and her union membership with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). During her working years, she assisted students with enrolling in their classes each semester. It was a job she thoroughly enjoyed.

Now, Gardy, of Harpursville, NY, is talking about being selected as one of the lucky $500 winners in the Union Plus 30th Anniversary American Dream Sweepstakes.

The Union Plus member benefits program celebrated three decades of serving union members with an American dream-themed sweepstakes sponsored by the Union Plus Credit Card Program.* Each week, 12 winners were randomly drawn to receive a $500 Mastercard® gift card prize. At the end of the sweepstakes period, one winner, Frank Valone, a fellow AFSCME retiree, was drawn as the winner of the $30,000 grand prize.

Gardy participates in the Union Plus Credit Card Program and has carried an AFSCME Advantage Credit Card since the 1980s.

“The customer service is great. One time, someone stole my card number, and a customer service representative was working on my situation immediately. That reason alone makes me a fan of the credit card program,” she explained.

Now with $500 in her pocket, Gardy said she has extremely specific plans for how she will spend it.

“I’m going to give a percentage of it to my church, and then I’m going to buy me the best KitchenAid® stand mixer in the color red. I don’t care what anyone has to say about it!”

To read the stories of the Union Plus American Dream Sweepstakes winners, visit unionplus.org/winners.

David Fairhurst, of Brooklyn, NY, has always been an aficionado of the arts. As both an Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) and a Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) member, his professional background includes both television acting and theater.

“For myself, and most actors, the day-to-day consisted of looking for work mostly —sending out headshots, going to auditions, researching upcoming projects. When you’re an actor, you actually spend most of the time not acting, but looking for work,” he explained. “I had some small roles in TV shows, like Law & Order. I also did a lot of theater as well.”

Fairhurst recently learned that he was randomly drawn as a $500 winner in the Union Plus 30th Anniversary American Dream Sweepstakes.

The Union Plus member benefits program celebrated three decades of serving union members with an American Dream-themed sweepstakes sponsored by the Union Plus Credit Card Program.* Each week, 12 winners were randomly drawn to receive a $500 Mastercard® gift card prize. And, one winner, Frank Valone, an AFSCME retiree, was drawn to win a $30,000 grand prize. Read Frank’s story.

When asked to describe what the “American dream” means to him, which was the theme of the sweepstakes, Fairhurst spoke to the value of work passion and the protection that unions offer.

“I think the American dream is being able to make a living doing work that you love, that is respected - and hopefully making more money than your parents did!” he laughed.

“I think unions certainly have a long history of helping members achieve the American dream. It’s very easy to exploit actors because they’re mostly young, very ambitious, and desperate to work - even for free. But you can’t make a living that way. There needs to be some standards and basic salary requirements. Without the AEA and SAG-AFTRA, it would be impossible to be an actor. That’s what’s great about them.”

Fairhurst told Union Plus that the $500 he won is, “more than likely going to end up being spent on gifts for family and friends.”

To read more Union Plus American Dream Sweepstakes winners’ stories, visit unionplus.org/winners.

Carrie Biggs-Adams, a San Francisco-based business representative who bargains contracts for her local union, has been part of the CWA for the past 41 years.

“Our local represents people in California and Oregon at various television stations. I sit at the negotiating table and represent people’s issues – trying to get better wages, working conditions, and economic justices for union members. We fix these issues one negotiation at a time,” she explained. “Right now I’m bargaining with a public broadcasters and a Spanish language television station.

But bargaining union contracts was not always part of Biggs-Adams career aspirations.

“I started out working as a television engineer and we went on strike six weeks after I went to work there. I was the eighth woman in a thousand men in that particular bargaining unit. Since those days, I’ve worked for 15 years on the national staff with the CWA as part of NABET,” she said.

No stranger to bargain hunting, Biggs-Adams was thrilled to learn about the savings programs available to union members through Union Plus, specifically the 25% Flowers & Gifts discount.

“I’ve been ordering floral arrangements through this program for at least 10 years and I order flowers about once per month for friends and family,” she said. “Just last week my two brothers and all of my cousins asked me to order a birthday arrangement for my aunt who is turning 97. We agreed that yellow should be the color!”

Biggs-Adams said she feels the savings are great for what she needs and she feels appreciated to receive a discount for her union affiliation.

“I love getting the discount and how the website works. I’m always able to find the perfect plant and arrangement that I’m searching for,” she told Union Plus. “I know that when I order flowers, whether they’re Easter flowers or birthday flowers, they’re going to get there on time.”

Order beautiful flower arrangements and gift baskets through Teleflora and make someone’s day. Flowers are perfect for birthdays and holidays, and is a lovely way to say, "Get well," "Thank you!” or “Congrats.” Union members can save 25% on all Teleflora flowers and GiftTree gift baskets.

Order online or call 888-667-7779 and use promo code BLUP25  to place your order today.

"I did what I could to keep some money coming in during hard times,” he says. “And I got help when I needed it with Union Plus mortgage assistance.”

Hudson had chosen the Union Plus Mortgage program when he refinanced his house. At that point the special assistance programs that Union Plus offers weren’t a high priority. “I had some coworkers who had been laid off but I’d always stayed pretty busy,” he says. “I’ve never missed a mortgage payment and I certainly never plan to.”

But the long recession affected both residential construction and bank construction—and that meant less work even for highly-trained IBEW technicians like Hudson. After months of being laid off, and struggling to keep the bills paid, he remembered the benefits of his union mortgage and contacted Union Plus for assistance.

“I’d never planned to use the program, but I was glad Union Plus was there for me when I needed them,” he says.

Choosing a union mortgage means more than just getting a great rate. It also means you have access to Union Plus mortgage assistance, which could help you keep your home in the event of a strike, lockout, layoff or disability.

After reading more about the program online, Hudson applied and quickly received $2,500 in interest-free assistance, which he started repaying at $75 month. Then when work picked up again as the economy improved, he paid the rest off in one big chunk. “I’ve just worked 30 days without a day off,” he laughs. “I figured I’d get the money paid back so help will be there for other union members who need it.”

Hudson doesn’t hesitate when he’s asked the best thing about being in the IBEW. “It’s the pay and benefits,” he says. But Union Plus programs are nice to have, whether it’s mortgage assistance or even saving money on flowers.

“Union Plus has a lot to offer. I’ve used that discount on flowers at least 10 times,” he laughs.

The Union Plus Mortgage program provides more than $43.6 billion in mortgages to help more than 280,000 union members and their families buy or refinance a home. It is packed with unique 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. 

One of the many other benefits of the Union Plus Mortgage program include a 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 more than $11 million to help members keep their loans current and stay in their homes.

“It was Union Plus calling, wondering if I’d checked my email,” he said. “They waited while I did, and when I read I had won, the worst week of my life suddenly took a turn for the good. I felt hopeful, and I was so grateful. I’ll never think of Friday the 13^th the same way again.”

Valone’s $30,000 grand prize marked the end of the American Dream Sweepstakes sponsored by the Union Plus Credit Card Program, which celebrated three decades of the Union Plus member benefits program.

Prior to his retirement in 2002, Valone was a 15-year senior plant utilities engineer at the Roswell Park Cancer Center. Founded in 1898 and headquartered in Buffalo, NY, the Center is America’s first facility dedicated to cancer research. Valone savored his role because his team served as the Center’s catalyst, making sure it received the power it needed to operate 24 hours a day.

“The union was a true fraternity,” he said. “They negotiated contracts and provided benefits that I feel were well earned and deserved. We worked hard, giving the facility what it needed to succeed, and the union worked hard for us.”

Valone, a loyal Union Plus Credit Card holder for 25 years, exclusively uses it for his first love — travel.

“My wife, Michele, and I took a cross-country vacation this summer to Oregon and Washington to visit my son using our Union Plus Credit Card,” he said. “We saw Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota along the way, and I hope to get back and see the Crazy Horse Memorial.”

Valone entered the sweepstakes because it gave him a chance to dream, but he never imagined winning.

“It’s been tremendous,” he said. “My wife and I want to use this money to travel more – maybe to Maine or to Pennsylvania to ride steam trains, but it’s also great to know that while I have good insurance, this money could come in handy with my healthcare expenses.”

For Valone, father of four and grandfather of six, health is his sole focus, and he is amid intense treatment for his cancer at the very facility he helped power across his career. His prognosis is good and his sweepstakes win has buoyed him.

“I’ve enjoyed this win very much,” he said. “Even though I have this battle in front me, it gives me some assurance that things are going to be okay.”

Valone’s story caps the Union Plus 30th Anniversary American Dream Sweepstakes.

To read the stories of all the winners, visit UnionPlus.org/Winners. 

If you’ve traversed a railroad bridge or tunnel in Nevada or Wyoming, Rex Cutler could probably name it. The lifetime Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWED) Local 1227 member did the heavy lifting on the cornerstones of rail infrastructure in both states. Now in retirement and thanks to Union Plus, he’s fully prepared to hit the open road along with his wife, Dawn.

Rex and Dawn are proud owners of a 40-foot trailer that’s meant to fulfill their wanderlust. However, they felt like there was one hitch in their plan – they needed more horsepower underneath the hood than their previous vehicle could muster.

“With that trailer, we intend to camp a lot more. We made up our minds that to do it right, we needed a more powerful vehicle,” said Dawn Cutler, the family’s chief car buying officer.

Doing it right meant the Ogden, Utah, couple sought a perfect deal on a full-bed diesel truck, hopefully in maroon. Rex and Dawn began the process by visiting the same dealership where they had purchased every car since 1989.

“We went in and tried to negotiate a good price based in our loyalty to the dealership,” said Cutler. “Unfortunately, there just wasn’t a deal there. We walked out. I told Rex that I’d search online and that’s when I remembered the Union Plus Auto Buying Service.”

Dawn confirmed they were eligible for the Union Plus Auto Buying Service, which saves BMWED members an average of more than $3,106 off MSRP on new vehicles. For used vehicle purchases, Union Plus offers up to $1,000 in discounts and often can provide free CarFax reports throughout the buying process. Additionally, the Cutlers were eligible for a $100 rebate since they were purchasing a new, union-made vehicle*.

“Originally, when we signed up for the service, I didn’t even know we were eligible for the rebate,” said Cutler. “It had all gone so smoothly. Suddenly we had a variety of competing prices to choose from. We got a great deal. Then lo and behold, a little while later, a check arrived. We were shocked. It’s such an excellent service.”

The Cutlers put their new ride right to work, pulling their trailer to the Idaho wilderness, and exploring the scenic wonders of southern Utah. They’ve found that having a huskier engine and more capacity enables them to travel with ease.

The Union Plus Auto Buying Service is available in the United States for active and retired union members, and their families. This program connects Union Plus buyers with certified dealers who offer upfront, online pricing, and Guaranteed Savings. It also provides insight into what others paid for the same car so you have the confidence that you’re getting a great deal.

*Between 7/1/16 and 9/30/16, 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 $3,106. 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.

TrueCar operates this information website ("Service") featuring pricing, performance, technical, and safety data available for new and used vehicles. The Service is not available in all locations.

**Guaranteed Savings not available in all states. In these states, a Target Price is shown, which is a market-based example of what you can reasonably expect to pay for your vehicle as configured. Your configured vehicle may not be available or in-stock at the Certified Dealer.

TrueCar does not broker, sell or lease motor vehicles. Each Certified Dealer sets its own pricing, and will confirm actual vehicle availability from in-stock inventory, including options and color choices.

Lisa Nutter started in the purchasing and travel department at the United Steelworkers headquarters (USW) in Pittsburgh, PA six years ago. She made a career move from the corporate world because she wanted to experience the benefits that union membership offers. She loves that the union is always looking out for her and her fellow union members’ best interests. Another value that comes with union membership is the opportunity to take advantage of the Union Plus member benefits.

“I was at a local USW meeting and someone mentioned Union Plus to me,” Nutter, a USW Local 3657 member, said. “I started looking through their website. I saw discounts for theme parks and purchased tickets to Universal Studios in Florida. I then saw a page on the Union Plus Auto Buying Service, and the next thing you know I was buying a new union-made car.”

Nutter, who serves as the recording secretary in her local, used the Union Plus Auto Buying Service to purchase her new Ford Focus hatchback. Through the Union Plus website, it is easy to search for a new or used car you want within a radius of your house, and then see the dealer price for that car. Administered by TrueCar, the Union Plus Auto Buying program ensures that union members are getting the best price on the car they want.

“I found the whole program to be a very seamless process,” Nutter said.

“Union Plus gave me two dealerships to look at and one dealership contacted me right away. They had worked with Union Plus before, and I didn’t have to do any negotiating. This is the first brand new car I have ever owned; it only had four miles on it when I purchased it!” Nutter said.

The Union Plus Auto Buying Service helps union members and their families save an average of $3,279 off MSRP. It allows members to see what others paid for the same model car you want and lock in the price. Union members can also get a $100 rebate when you they buy a new union-made car and $200 on a new union-made, EPA Green car¹.

“One of the coolest things about my new Focus is that it has a sticker on it saying that it was made in a union plant; that’s very cool to look at,” Nutter added.

“Union Plus is a great thing for union members. I like to know that the benefits of being in my local union extend beyond the local. It’s great being recognized on a grander scale for being a union member," Nutter said.

¹Between 7/1/15 and 9/30/15, 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 10/31/2015, was $3,279. 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. Neither TrueCar nor Union Plus brokers,sells or leases motor vehicles.

TrueCar operates this information website ("Service") featuring pricing, performance, technical, and safety data available for new and used vehicles. The Service is not available in all locations.

**Guaranteed Savings not available in all states. In these states, a Target Price is shown, which is a market-based example of what you can reasonably expect to pay for your vehicle as configured. Your configured vehicle may not be available or in-stock at the Certified Dealer.

TrueCar does not broker, sell or lease motor vehicles. Each Certified Dealer sets its own pricing, and will confirm actual vehicle availability from in-stock inventory, including options and color choices.

Immigrants who come to our country in search of better opportunities have been the economic backbone of America for well over a century. In the face of a difficult job market for many immigrants, their keys to the American Dream may not be readily available.

Nowhere is this truer than with non-union jobs, which typically offer lower pay, limited benefits, and virtually no job security. In a new country with little knowledge of the labor market, these work conditions make immigrants more vulnerable to worker exploitation, sometimes with heartbreaking results.

However, immigrants in unionized jobs are much closer to reaching the American Dream than their non-union counterparts. This year’s recipients of Union Plus Scholarships have written how union membership has transformed their standard of living — everything from:

• ensuring more dignity in the workplace,
• safer work conditions, and
• rules preventing discrimination on the basis of national origin, among others.

Union Plus Scholarship Winners

Among the winners were numerous students whose family members are immigrants — many of whom triumphed over monumental hardship thanks in part to their union — and are prepared to make a meaningful impact in the world by excelling academically and pursuing degrees in preparation for career fields such as law and medicine.

Jasmine Gregory of Walnut Creek, CA

When the parents of Jasmine Gregory of Walnut Creek, CA, came to America as migrant farmworkers, labor injustices were commonplace.

“My mother felt powerless until the courageous efforts of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers movement brought needed relief,” Jasmine recalled. “After years of struggle, my mother is a state employee today, wholeheartedly supporting her union.”

Indeed, Jasmine’s educational pursuits have taken root, thanks to the stability afforded by her mother’s membership in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2620, and her father’s membership in the International Federation of Professional & Technical Employees (IFPTE) Local 21.

Upon graduating high school this year, she earned two prestigious national academic awards from the College Board:

• the National Merit Scholar Commendation and the
• National Hispanic Recognition Program Award.

These awards are given to the top standardized test takers and the top academic performers of Hispanic heritage, respectively. With college in her sights, Jasmine aims to study political science and ultimately earn a law degree, and "never forgetting the labor support she received since her first employment on American soil" according to Jasmine's mother. 

The Gregory family’s story is a common thread that makes up the historical patchwork of America. Each generation had hope in their sights when they knew that, if they joined a union worked hard, and earned an education, they could foster a brighter future for their successive generations.

After the Great Recession, the educational landscape has faced difficulties of its own, most notably with the skyrocketing costs of a college education. Fortunately, that’s just one of many reasons why Union Plus was established by the AFL-CIO to provide much-needed consumer benefits to union members and retirees.

One of the many valuable programs offered by Union Plus is a unique scholarship program which has awarded more than $4 million in educational funding to union members and their families.

Michelle Huang of Brooklyn, NY

Michelle Huang of Brooklyn, NY, whose parents emigrated from Guangzhou, China, is studying to become a pharmacist. She looks at how far she’s come along her educational journey and knows that she would have never been able to take the first steps without her father Zhantu’s membership in the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 10.

Relating the story of how her father went on strike and helped pass the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, Michelle recalls,

"My father became empowered to speak up for his rights. I am not sure how I can ever repay APWU.” For the Huang family, union membership pays off; as Michelle received a generous scholarship to make her academic dreams a reality."

Union membership, she says, “…holds such significance and importance in my family.”

Steven Manicastri of Willimantic, CT

Steven Manicastri of Willimantic, CT is a political science doctoral student whose dissertation focuses on a rank-and-file Italian trade union formed in the late 1980s. Born and raised in Italy, his working-class family immigrated to the United States in 2000.

With newly-afforded opportunities thanks to his union, opportunity and hard work, Steven ultimately graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history, political science, and Italian.

“I recognize the importance of theory as a political philosopher, but I am cognizant of the essential need to practice one’s politics on a quotidian basis,” Steven said.

“I can think of no better way to do this [and live by one’s politics] than by being an active union member, or being instrumental in the creation of a labor union in a future place of employment,” he added.

To this end, while in school, he became very active in the labor union movement. In addition to helping to pass his school’s lowest tuition increase in a decade by protesting at the 2011 United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) Walk Into Action, he currently serves as vice president of his graduate school’s Graduate Employee Union (GEU) Region 9A and serves as vice president for UAW Local 6950. Steven hopes to use his Union Plus Scholarship to help fund his dream of becoming a university instructor and introducing a new generation to the importance of the labor movement.

The Union Plus Scholarship Program

If you are a union member or your parents, spouse or children are members — and pursuing the American Dream through education — you are eligible to apply for a Union Plus Scholarship, which are granted to students attending a two-year college, four-year college, graduate school or a recognized technical or trade school. Recipients are selected based on academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor.

Visit UnionPlus.org/Scholarship for more information and to appy online.

In addition to the scholarship program, Union Plus provides a wide range of money-saving programs and services for union members and families, including discounts on qualified wireless plans from AT&T, the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier, savings on travel and recreation, and more. 

Angela Neal, a member of the Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE), AFT/AFSCME Local 300, had little trouble negotiating a fair price for a car and other kinds of consumer bargaining didn't bother her either. But when the social worker tried to lower her medical bill debt the going got rough.

Fortunately, as a union member, Neal had Union Plus in her corner, offering her just what she needed: an advocate to help her negotiate lower medical bills.

"Trying to lower the debt from medical expenses is so hard," explains Neal. "Some of the bill people can be harsh. They want to get every penny from you as soon as possible, but you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.Union Plus' medical bill negotiator helped knock off as much as 50 percent off of some of my medical bills."

Reducing medical debt can be daunting. Neal remembers how every time she saw the medical bills piled on her kitchen table, she was filled with dread, knowing that she alone was responsible for the balances and that those balances were not going to be reduced without a lot of effort.

Armed with her cell phone, a positive attitude and the stack of bills, Neal diligently contacted the billing offices of her physician and labs asking for their help in lowering her debt and coming up with a manageable payment schedule. She hung up each time feeling discouraged and overwhelmed.

Dealing with the stress of mounting bills, coping with an ongoing health condition, and working full-time to provide critical social services to families in need was a lot for Neal to handle. She isn't alone. A report by the Commonwealth Fund found that 41 percent of Americans of working age have medical bill problems or are paying off medical debt.

Neal found hope when a co-worker encouraged her to check out the Union Plus Medical Bill Negotiating Service. When she clicked on UnionPlus.org/BillNegotiator, Neal was thrilled to see that it was easy to sign up for the free service. To qualify for help, she only needed to be an active or retired union member with at least one outstanding unreimbursed medical expense of at least $400.

"It was nice knowing that someone was working for me just because I am a union member. I didn't realize this union benefit existed, but I'm so glad it does. It put me in a much better position to pay off my medical bills," says Neal, who has been a member of KOSE Local 300 since 2010.

"It's a big help when someone is there to help you negotiate medical debt. It was a real blessing," says Neal.