Students from union families applying for or currently attending college, university, technical or trade school also can apply for a Union Plus Scholarship. Scholarship awards range from $500 to $4,000.

Joanna Escalante (left) is a California School Employees Association (CSEA) member and a candidate for a master’s in sociology. Escalante hopes to become an instructor at the community college where she currently serves as an administrative assistant. She has a special interest and background in working with students who have experienced foster care and/or homelessness. Baylor Sampson (center) grew up in a union family. His father has been an Ironworkers member in Ohio for more than 30 years. Sampson is majoring in computer science with the goal of working in cybersecurity and protecting people like his grandparents, who endured financial strain after an online security breach. Sampson’s dedication to his work inspired him to be passionate about his own educational path. Chareese Miller (right), a competitive soccer player and an exercise science major, has an ultimate goal. It is to become a physical therapist. Her mother is an AFGEmember in Atlanta. Miller said her desire to help others stems from her mother’s AFGE involvement as a steward and local vice president.

Current and retired union members, their spouses and their dependent children are eligible to apply for a Union Plus Scholarship. Applications are due Jan. 31 by noon ET. Learn more and apply at unionplus.org/scholarship

Today we reflect on the life and lasting legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King actively worked to bridge the modern civil rights and labor movements that shared, he said, "a unity of purpose." In his 1961 speech to the AFL-CIO's fourth convention, he said:

"Our needs are identical with labor’s needs, decent wages, fair working conditions,
livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community.”

We are proud to honor, celebrate and continue to pursue Dr. King's vision of a better world for working people, today and every day. Happy MLK Day.

Union members – you deserve big savings from the biggest car rental companies. Enjoy up to 35%* off from Avis, Budget, Hertz, Enterprise, Payless, National, Alamo, Dollar and Thrifty! *Terms apply. 

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Union Plus connects you with Farmers Insurance Choice® where you can compare home and auto insurance quotes from top companies all in one place and choose the policies that may be right for you. 

Union members – let the Union Plus Car Rental discount help you connect with the people and places you love! Book holiday travel now and save up to 35%* off Avis and Budget base rates.

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Disclaimer:
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Register Here

The OPEIU Benefit Fund has established a brand new account-based benefit called the Account Choice Plan, rolling out January 2024. The benefit will be a combination of three different benefits: Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), Dependent Care Reimbursement Account (DCRA) and a Vacation account. Realizing no two persons are alike, the Account Choice Plan offers you the flexibility to utilize the three different accounts in a way that best meets your and your family’s needs.

If you become eligible to participate in the new Account Choice Plan, the Fund will set up and maintain the accounts on your behalf. The level of contributions to be made into the accounts will be set through each collective bargaining agreement or participation agreement, allowing flexibility to bargaining parties and employers to contribute more or less depending on the needs and wishes of the members of those units. Participants will have an opportunity twice per year to prospectively change the breakdown of contributions among the three accounts.

We are in the process of finalizing the new benefit and hope to begin to roll out this new and exciting benefit to OPEIU members in the coming weeks. If you’re interested in learning more about how to participate in the new Account Choice Plan, or how to include participation in the next round of collective bargaining, please join the briefing.

Learn more by attending OPEIU’s HRA briefing on Jan. 24 at 6 pm ET.