Frequently Asked Questions

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Did you know your union members are automatically eligible for your union's Union Plus benefits from Union Privilege? Make sure you and your members know about these programs – and start using them today!

To help you, we have assembled some of the more common questions and their answers.

Download the PDF version of this FAQ

About Union Privilege

Who is Union Privilege? And, what is the difference between Union Plus and Union Privilege?

Union Privilege is the organization behind the Union Plus programs.

In 1986, the AFL-CIO created Union Privilege to provide consumer benefits programs to union members. Union Privilege reports to a board of international union officials who guide our direction.

We use the collective purchasing power of millions of union members to develop the Union Plus programs, which provide more quality, value and service than comparable programs available to the general public.

Do union member dues support Union Privilege?

No dues money goes into the development or operation of any Union Plus program.

How many Union Plus benefits are there and what are they?

Union Privilege has developed over 40 Union Plus benefits. Each international union decides which benefits it will offer to its membership. You can download and print a guide to your union's benefits at UnionPlus.org/PDFGuide. Or, call the leader line at 1-800-472-2005 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, weekdays) to find out which benefits you and your members are eligible to use.

Eligibility

Who is eligible for the benefits?

SELECT PROGRAMS*

• Spouses
• Domestic Partners
• Dependent and/or adult children
• Parents

*Please check UnionPlus.org/Family or call the program for details.

How do union members join Union Plus?

There is no Union Plus membership. There is no separate sign up and no enrollment fee for the Union Plus programs.

Do my members need to have the Union Plus Credit Card to use the other Union Plus benefits, such as the discounts?

No, your members do not need Union Plus Credit Cards to use the other Union Plus benefits. Union members are automatically eligible for Union Plus programs the day their union memberships begin.

Program Value

What makes Union Plus unique?

We are the only consumer benefits organization dedicated to creating programs for union members. We report to a board of union officials who guide our direction and oversee our progress.

Union Privilege also works with worker-friendly companies and regularly compares each Union Plus program's value, price and features with the competition. Our unionized staff constantly monitors the programs to ensure the program providers comply with our standards and that members get the value and the service they deserve. And, every year, we complete a full, top-to-bottom competitive review of each program to make sure we are providing the best possible benefits to union members.

What kinds of reviews have Union Plus programs gotten?

Outside experts have recognized the programs for their service, savings and solidarity. A recent example: Gerri Detweiler, a highly respected consumer educator and advocate, calls the Union Plus Credit Card a "good guy" example that "should be the standard, not the exception" for affinity credit cards.

How do your programs help union members?

We offer special assistance to union members who face financial hardship due to a layoff, strike, disability or natural disaster. Union Plus programs are not just about price savings, but also about the extra service and value members and their families receive.

Just how much can my members save with Union Plus benefits?

Members could save as much as $4,000 annually! Calculate for yourself how much you or your members could save for each program at UnionPlus.org/Savings.

Union Plus Service

How do you handle customer service?

Union Privilege works with each program provider to manage customer service. We have set standards — such as how quickly calls must be answered — that each provider must meet. Plus, Union Privilege staff regularly monitor service calls to ensure that individual representatives are following procedures.

What do I do if I have a complaint?

We realize that sometimes you or your member may need help with a concern. The Union Plus Member Advocacy Program, staffed by OPEIU Local 2 members, is here to help you resolve the problem. Contact us at 1-800-472-2005 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, weekdays) or online at UnionPlus.org/Customer.

Helping Unions

How do Union Plus programs help my union?

Union Plus offers members money-saving benefits together with the reassurance that the union is looking out for members' welfare — both on and off the job. Whether you are trying to organize new members, add more members in an open shop or keep members from leaving the union, the Union Plus benefits can help.

I've heard that using benefits in organizing campaigns can be effective. How?

Benefits are a great way to attract new members — with proven results. Read how your fellow union leaders are using Union Plus benefits in organizing campaigns and recruiting more members at UnionPlus.org/Organizing. You'll also find materials to download to assist with your next campaign.

How does Union Privilege give back to the labor community?

Union Privilege takes its commitment to the labor movement very seriously. Following are just a few examples of how we help support working families:

• Since 1992, Union Privilege has awarded over $2.4 million of education scholarship money to over 1,700 union families.
• In 2007, Union Privilege launched the Union Leaders of the Future Scholarship to provide individuals with up to $3,000 for money to attend accredited leadership courses to further their union careers.
• The Union Plus Lifeline Trust for Union Plus Credit Cardholders has already provided more than $225,000 to over 150 union members since its introduction in May 2005. The Lifeline Trust provides grants to union cardholders who experience a significant loss of household income due to a long-term illness or prolonged disability. The $3.7 million Trust was funded by HSBC Card and Retail Services, the provider of the credit card program, and is administered by Union Privilege.
• The Mortgage Assistance Fund has helped more than 600 out-of-work Union Plus Mortgage holders with their mortgage payments, providing more than $3 million in no-interest loans and grants.
• The Union Plus Disaster Relief Fund provides grants to Union Plus Credit Cardholders affected by natural disasters. In an effort unmatched by any other credit card program in the nation, the Union Plus Credit Card Disaster Relief Fund provided $400,000 to some 800 union cardholders impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
• Free credit counseling and free consumer education information — including our two new Web sites at UnionDebtHelp.org and UnionPlusRetirement.org — have helped hundreds of union members get control of their finances, develop budgets and set plans for the future.

Informing Your Members

What are the best ways to inform my members about the benefits?

Here are five simple things you can do:

1. Sign up for free e-newsletters at UnionPlus.org/Enews and tell your members to visit the site too. Email is the perfect way to stay informed about all your union's benefits.
2. Order free brochures and distribute them to your members — for example: at meetings, in new member welcome kits, in mailings. Place your order at UnionPlus.org/Order or call 1-800-472-2005 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, weekdays). At UnionPlus.org/PDFGuide, you'll find a customized PDF brochure of your union's Union Plus benefits to download, print and distribute.
3. Place the two-pocket Union Plus brochure display in a high-traffic union member area — such as a lunchroom, union hall or training center. Order your free display (one for each 500 members, please) at UnionPlus.org/Order or call 1-800-472-2005 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, weekdays).
4. Post a Union Plus link on your union's home page. Union webmasters tell us that a "Member Discounts & Benefits" section is typically the most popular section on their Web sites. Visit UnionPlus.org/Webmaster for details.
5. If you have a union newsletter or other publication, place an ad or article about the benefits in it. You can find ads and articles at UnionPlusLeaders.org or call us at 1-800-472-2005 (8:30 a.m. — 4:30 p.m. ET, weekdays).
   
   And don't forget to add Union Privilege, 1125 15th Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005 to your mailing list. You could earn money for your union in our union publication contest! See UnionPlusLeaders.org for details.

More Help for Leaders

Where can I go for more help?

There is a wealth of free information — including downloadable ads, flyers, brochures and more — at UnionPlusLeaders.org. Visit the site often so you can stay current with all the latest information. And, you can always call us at 1-800-472-2005 (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET, weekdays) or email us at leaders@unionprivilege.org with any questions you have. Our staff is here to help you.

Your Participation is Vital!

Ready to get started? We recommend you start using the benefits yourself. Go to UnionPlus.org to sign up or contact any of the programs directly. You can find phone numbers for your union's Union Plus programs in the Union Plus Member Benefit brochure (as well as online).

If you have any questions, issues or suggestions as you use the benefits, please contact us at leaders@unionprivilege.org or 1-800-472-2005. Let us know of any great ideas for promotions you've used. Tell us about your successes — and what maybe didn't work so well. We'd like to hear from you.

Union Privilege Contact Information:

Leader Line: 1-800-472-2005

Website: www.UnionPlusLeaders.org

Email: Leaders@UnionPrivilege.org

Address: 1125 15th St., NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005