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HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 26, 2022) -- Staffers on the Beto for Texas (BFT) campaign ratified their union contract last month, becoming the first statewide campaign in the Lone Star State to do so.

129 staffers in organizing, canvassing, press, scheduling, data, coordination, events, finance and other roles are all covered under the terms of agreement. Campaigners will join OPEIU Local 277 for the duration of the campaign.

"We are proud to join the labor movement and to be the first Texas statewide campaign to unionize," said Rocio Dumey, an organizer on the campaign. "Like Beto, we practice what we preach. We want to send a message that every worker in this state should have the right to demand better wages, benefits, and working conditions. We want to join them in that fight.”

Dear OPEIU Free College Participant:

OPEIU has received some important information regarding our Free College benefit program that we want to share with you. As an enrolled or enrolling student, we know you may have received communication from our academic partners, but we wanted to reach out to you directly to ensure you received the most updated information as it becomes available.

As you may be aware, the Department of Education (DOE) recently instructed Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) and Central State University (CSU) to cease providing the Free College Benefit program as currently implemented.

Fall enrollment for Free College benefit students is currently paused for all new and returning students at this time. For all questions, please email onlineteam@egcc.edu or call EGCC Admissions Counselors at 1-833-465-2505 or the Financial Aid Help Desk at 1-833-465-2505 option 2.

You can also visit https://egcc.edu/press-release/ for the most up-to-date information. We are hopeful more definitive answers will be available soon and remain committed to finding and providing the finest benefits possible to our members.

Many OPEIU members work for "public service employers," which includes many nonprofits, and are thus eligible to take advantage of temporary changes that make it easier to qualify for loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. 

More specifically, under the temporary waiver:

• Borrowers who have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL), Perkins loans or other federal student loans can consolidate their loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan and receive PSLF credit for periods of repayment prior to consolidation. Periods of repayment on parent PLUS loans are not eligible under the limited PSLF waiver. Before consolidating, borrowers should check to see if they work for a qualifying employer using the PSLF Help Tool.
• Past periods of repayment will now count regardless of whether a borrower made a payment, or made that payment on time, for the full amount due, or on a qualifying repayment plan.

Be sure to check your eligibility for the PSLF waiver before the changes expire on Oct. 31, 2022.

Unfortunately, union staff are not eligible for this program. Be sure to visit the OPEIU Membership Benefits page to learn about the OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program and the educational scholarships available for OPEIU members and their families.

You work incredibly hard to move our country forward — not just on the job, but at home and in your community too. Our friends at Union Plus want to celebrate all you do. 

Enter the Unions Power America Contest today for a chance to win up to $25,000! unionplus.click/labor22 

Union Plus launched the contest to give back to hardworking union families in honor of Labor Day. They will be awarding $110,000 total in cash prizes to union members like you who make a difference, on and off the job. 

To enter, share a story about how you, or a fellow OPEIU member, power America. Winners will be announced during the virtual Union Plus Labor Day celebration. 

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