PIMA AREA LABOR FEDERATION

New Union SAFE Benefits Assist Union Members Hard Hit By Economic Crisis

Help with job loss, unreimbursed hospital bills and saving for college among new benefits for Union Plus program participants

– With many working families in financial distress as a result of the sharp downturn in the U.S. economy, Union Plus is launching a program of new and enhanced benefits to assist eligible union members facing hardships.

The new benefits program, called Union SAFE – for Security, Assistance and Financial Education – provides a wide array of benefits, including help for those suffering from layoffs to soaring hospital costs to problems paying their mortgage to help saving for college.

Unique benefits being offered under the Union SAFE initiative to help eligible members include:

• Credit counseling services, budgeting advice and no-fee debt management and bankruptcy counseling benefits.
• Hospital Care Grants of $1,000 to help members who have been hit with large, unreimbursed hospital expenses who participate in the Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage or UnionSecure Insurance programs.
• Job Loss Grants of $250 for Union Plus Credit Card holders who have been recently laid off for more than 90 days.
• Mortgage Assistance to help Union Plus Mortgage holders, who become unemployed, disabled or go on strike, make their mortgage payments.

To help members finance their children’s college educations, Union SAFE offers a College Savings Grant of $500 to members who open new 529 tax-free college savings accounts or pre-paid tuition accounts of at least $1,000 by June 30, 2009.

This $1 million initiative offered by Union Plus to eligible union members demonstrates that the labor movement is answering President Obama’s call for a new era of responsibility to help those who have fallen on hard times, says Leslie Tolf, president of Union Privilege, provider of the Union Plus benefits.

In addition, the Union SAFE initiative expands and increases other Union Plus benefits, such as:

• Increasing the number of Union Plus Credit Card Disability Grants (which range from $1,000 to $2,000) available to cardholders who have experienced a significant loss of income within the past six months due to a recent disability that has kept them out of work for 90 days.
• Expanding theavailability of $500 Disaster Relief Grants to participants in the Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage and UnionSecure Insurance programs.

“The new Union SAFE benefits expand the Union Plus Safety Net to help and support union members and make the union-backed Union Plus benefits an even better value,” Tolf says.

More information and grant applications are available at UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFE.

Q.  What is Union SAFE?

A.  Union SAFE – which stands for “security, assistance and financial education” – is an innovative new collection of unique benefits that meet the urgent needs of members facing economic hardship. It is a $1 million initiative that expands the Union Plus Safety Net for working families to help those suffering from layoffs to soaring hospital costs to problems paying their mortgage to help saving for college. Union SAFE is offered by Union Privilege, provider of the Union Plus programs.

Q.  Who can take advantage of these new Union SAFE benefits?

A.  Most of the Union SAFE grants are available to union members participating in the Union Plus credit card, mortgage or insurance programs. However, some benefits, like the credit counseling service, are available to all of your members as long as your union participates in that  Union  Plus program.

Q.  Where can my members get more information about the Union SAFE benefits?

A.  Your members can get more information by visiting UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFE.

Q.  What’s new?

A.  There are a number of new benefits to help union members facing financial hardship, including:

• Hospital Care Grants – $1,000 grants for qualified members hit with large, unreimbursed out-of-pocket hospital expenses (10% or more of household income) who participate in the Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage or UnionSecure Insurance programs.

• College Saving Grants – $500 grants for members who open a new 529 tax-free college savings or pre-paid tuition account between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2009 (and contribute $1,000 by Nov. 30, 2009), who participate in the Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage or UnionSecure Insurance programs.ba ard the

• Job Loss Grants – $250 payments toward the outstanding balance of qualified Union Plus Credit Card holders who have been laid off for more than 90 days within six months of application.

• Debt Management Plan Enrollment Fee Waiver – The $75 fee to enroll in a Debt Management Plan to eliminate debts through Union Plus Credit Counseling will be waived automatically for union members.

• Debt Management Plan Monthly Fee Reimbursement – One year of monthly Debt Management Plan fees will be reimbursed after the member completes 12 months in a DMP to eliminate debts through Union Plus Credit Counseling (these fees usually total about $350).

• Bankruptcy Counseling Filing Fee Waiver – Pre-filing bankruptcy counseling is required under the bankruptcy code. The $50 filing fee is waived for union members who receive bankruptcy counseling through Union Plus Credit Counseling.

New Union Plus benefits help union members facing financial hardship. With many working families in financial distress as a result of the sharp downturn in the U.S. economy, Union Plus is launching a program of new and enhanced benefits to assist eligible union members facing hardships.

• Union SAFE  http://www.unionplus.org/life-planning-services-legal/member-assistance-programs/union-safe-grants-money-hardship-program>>

expands the Union Plus Safety Net by providing a wide array of benefits targeted to Union Plus program participants including help for those suffering from layoffs to soaring hospital costs to problems paying their mortgage to help saving for college.

Union SAFE will provide $1 million in assistance to help eligible members. Benefits include:

• Credit counseling <<http://www.unionplus.org/money-credit/consumer-credit-counseling>>

Services, budgeting advice and no-fee debt management and bankruptcy counseling benefits.

• Save My Home Hotline <<http://www.unionplus.org/home-mortgage-programs/mortgage-foreclosure-help>>

Help avoid mortgage foreclosure

• Hospital Care Grants <<http://www.unionplus.org/life-planning-services-legal/member-assistance-programs/union-safe-grants-hospital-bills-grant>>

$1,000 to help members who have been hit with large, unreimbursed hospital expenses who participate in the Union Plus Credit Card, Mortgage or UnionSecure Insurance programs.

• Job Loss Grants <<http://www.unionplus.org/life-planning-services-legal/member-assistance-programs/union-safe-grants-job-loss-grant>>

$250 for Union Plus Credit Card holders who have been recently laid off for more than 90 days.

• Disability Grants <<http://www.unionplus.org/life-planning-services-legal/member-assistance-programs/union-safe-grants-disability-grant>>

$1,000 to $2,000 for qualified Union Plus Credit Card holders who have significant income loss due to a recent long-term illness or disability

• Mortgage Assistance <<http://www.unionplus.org/mortgage-assistance-help>>

Help Union Plus Mortgage holders, who become unemployed, disabled or go on strike, make their mortgage payments.

And, to help members finance their children’s college educations, Union SAFE offers

• College Savings Grants <<http://www.unionplus.org/life-planning-services-legal/member-assistance-programs/union-safe-grants-education-savings-grant>>

$500 to members who open new 529 tax-free college savings accounts or pre-paid tuition accounts of at least $1,000 by June 30, 2009.

This $1 million initiative offered by Union Plus to eligible union members demonstrates that the labor movement is answering President Obama’s call for a new era of responsibility to help those who have fallen on hard times, says Leslie Tolf, president of Union Privilege, provider of the Union Plus benefits.

To learn more about all of the money-saving Union Plus benefits available to union members visit Union Plus. << http://www.unionplus.org>>

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Job Loss Grants– $250 payments toward the outstanding balance of qualified Union Plus Credit Card holders who have been laid off for

Q.  What’s improved and enhanced?

A.  Not only are there new benefits, but Union Privilege has also improved and enhanced current safety net benefits, including:

• Mortgage Strike Assistance improved – Strike assistance for Union Plus Mortgage holders has been improved. Now, after the 30^th day of a strike, Mortgage Strike Assistance will cover 6 full months of mortgage principal and interest payments.

• Disaster Grants eligibility expanded – Grants to help members facing financial hardship due to a FEMA-declared disaster area qualifying for individual assistance are now available to members participating in the Union Plus Mortgage and UnionSecure Insurance programs, in addition to credit card holders. These grants provide $500 to eligible members.

• More money for Union Plus Credit Card Disability Grants – $350,000  is being provided for Union Plus Credit Card Disability Grants in 2009 (up from $250,000). These grants provide qualified cardholders who have significant income loss due to a recent illness or disability with $1,000 to $2,000 and a $250 payment to their outstanding credit card balance.

• More money for Union Plus Scholarships –$200,000 is being provided for Union Plus Scholarships in 2009 (up from $150,000).

Q.  Where can I get details about grant eligibility and requirements?

A.  Eligibly and requirements vary for each Union SAFE benefit. Please visit UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFE for details.

Q.  Why is certain documentation required to be mailed in with the Union SAFE grant applications?

A.  The documentation is required in order to verify that applicants have met the requirements to receive the grant. Signatures and hard-copy documentation are required to validate information accuracy. This all helps us to provide benefits to union members with the most financial need.

Q.  Do grant applicants need to submit union verification?

A.  Yes. Applicants for grants must submit a union verification form signed by a local union representative (including a shop steward or other local officer).

Q.  Can a spouse or other family member get a Union SAFE grant?

A.  No, only union members (or union retirees) who participate in an eligible program can apply for Union SAFE grants. Visit UnionPlus.org/UnionSAFE for specific requirements.

Q.  Do the grants need to be repaid?

A.  The Job Loss, Hospital Care, College Savings, Disability and Disaster Grants, as well as Mortgage Strike Assistance, do not need to be repaid. However, the Mortgage Assistance Loan must be repaid.

Q.  How much money is available to help members?

A.  More than $1 million has been committed to the Union SAFE benefits for 2009. However, once the allotted funds for each grant are distributed to members, we will stop taking applications and stop issuing grants. Please note that unemployment, disability and strike assistance is available for the life of the member’s Union Plus Mortgage.

Q.  Will the Union SAFE benefits continue after 2009?

A.  Yes, we will continue to offer the Union SAFE benefits after 2009. However, the funding levels may change.

Q.  What materials are available to promote Union SAFE?

A.  An 8-1/2x11 inch flier and press release are available to distribute to your locals and members. We will also have news articles for your publication.