With unemployment at 8.1% and rising, including thousands of union workers, Union Plus -- the benefits arm of the labor movement -- is offering new aid for those laid off.
In an announcement last month, the organization unveiled special aid to union members who have been out of work at least 90 days within the last six months. Their union must participate in the Union Privilege Benefits Program for its members to be eligible for the layoff aid. The new aid for those who lost their jobs includes:
Union "No-Pay" Option: With advance notice to the Bank, a union may pick any two months when its members do not have to meet their minimum monthly payment
requirement. There are no penalties, only interest accrues. The "No-Pay" option feature is offered only to union members who carry the Amalgamated Bank Union MasterCard.
Amalgamated Bank Card Credit Protector: Credit Protector helps relieve the financial stress and worry related to making your bank card payments when life takes an unexpected turn such a loss of job, disability, hospitalization or death. Unlike
skip-pay, this service actually makes your minimum payments. At only $.89 per $100 of the monthly balance, it is only available to Amalgamated cardholders who purchase the product.
Mortgage Assistance. It offers a guaranteed loan of up to six months to help eligible union members cover their payments. That should be particularly useful to workers who face long-term layoffs -- a large share of the unemployed, data shows.
There’s also a Union Plus Save My Home Hotline -- to help avoid foreclosure -- open to all unionists or retirees whose unions are in Union Plus. The toll-free number for that hotline is 1-866-490-5361.
Free bankruptcy counseling, and a $50 filing fee is waived for members whose union is part of Union Plus’ credit counseling program. The special bankruptcy line for the Union Plus Credit Counseling is 1-866-279-7197. Union Plus Legal Service provides bankruptcy lawyers at fee discounts.
Union Plus also offers credit counseling, a no-fee debt management plan and free budget analysis. The toll-free number for the regular credit counseling is 1-877-833-1745.