Jennifer Wright Dorr of Union Plusreports on the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance program.

This past August, thousands of Communications Workers of America (CWA) members, from Virginia to New England, went on strike against Verizon to protect their jobs, pay and benefits. Thanks to Union Plus, workers on the picket line didn’t need to worry about missing a home payment when their paychecks stopped.

Sixteen CWA members at Verizon received $36,640 in interest-free loans and grants to cover their September mortgage payments during the August strike. Nearly $16,000 was grant money that never needs to be repaid.

Mitchell Jakuboski, a member of CWA Local 1101 in of Brooklyn, N.Y., was one of the Verizon strikers helped by Union Plus.

As Jakuboski grabbed his picket sign, he also picked up the phone to request aid from the Union Plus Mortgage Program. Jakuboski has been a CWA member for nearly 29 years. He recalled all too well his last strike in 1989, which lasted 17 weeks. He’s proud to stand with his union, but also remembers the financial strain he endured.

I started having flashbacks, only it was going to be even tougher this time around because I now have both a home and family to protect.

When he bought his home five years earlier, Jakuboski selected a union mortgage which not only saved him money on his closing costs, but also came with a unique benefit—the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance program—which provides the peace of mind union workers need during difficult times. Says Jakuboski:

These are very hard times and union families need all the protection we can get. It just makes sense, if you’re buying a home, get a union mortgage, too.

The Mortgage Assistance 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 and who miss work due to unemployment, disability, strike or lockout. For first-time benefit users, up to $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid.

Jakuboski says he was a little skeptical when he first heard about, but says,

The more they told me, the better it sounded. Still, I figured I’d never have to use it.

When workers went out on strike, Jakuboski called Union Plus to tap into the assistance. He applied for the help, was approved and Union Plus paid his September house payment.

It really took the stress off both me and my family.

Paying the loan back isn’t stressful, either. Payments can be repaid for as little as $75 a month.

Still, he made repayment a priority. The strike was called off after two weeks and workers returned to work under the terms of the existing contract though there still isn’t a contract settlement. However, if the strike had continued, so would have the mortgage assistance.

I paid off my loan just as soon as I had the money because I wanted the funds to be available for the next person who needs them.

For strikes or lockouts lasting longer than 30 days, Union Plus will cover your mortgage payment for up to six months. These benefits do not need to be repaid and are a one-time benefit for life.

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.

Since its inception, this special union benefit program has paid out more than $8.6 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.

To learn more about the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance program, call 1-800-848-6466 (8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday).  You may also visit UnionPlus.org/Mortgage.

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