How Do Unions Help Us Achieve the American Dream? Union Members Answer
Ten union members have already received their $500 gift card prize!
For our 30th anniversary, we're rewarding union members and Union Plus Credit Cardholders* with the chance to make their dreams come true in our American Dream Sweepstakes. Over $100,000 in prizes will be given away, and one lucky winner will win $30,000.
You could be the next winner, but you only have a few weeks left to enter!
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Enter now through 12/31/16 to win |
Here's how it works: |
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$500 gift cards to 12 winners every week |
Visit UnionPlusSweeps.com and provide a valid email address. |
| Fill out a union-time registration form. | |
| Enter the sweepstakes up to 30 times per week. |
Ten union members have already received their $500 gift card prize! We believe unions are the cornerstone of our country—the reason the American dream can become a reality—so we asked these winners to describe the American Dream, and to tell us how unions help Americans achieve that dream. Read their responses below!
Andrew Cuschieri, a United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) member from Taylor, MI, and a $500 gift card winner.
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How he defines the American Dream:
“The American Dream comes down to a lot of hard work, never giving up, and doing what you love. It’s pursuing your passion and pushing yourself to the next level,” he said.
How he believes unions help achieve that goal:
“Unions protect members so they’re not taken advantage of and are able to advance fairly. When I think of the union, I think of someone that has your back in case of any kind of discrimination or unjust behavior,” he said.
Adelia Marron won a $500 gift card. She’s from Stonington, IL, is the wife of a Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 103G member. Her husband was also formerly a United Steelworkers (USW) member.
How she defines the American Dream:
“It’s about having good jobs you can depend on and making a decent wage. We feel it’s also tied to the ability to buy a house and put enough money away to retire,” she said.
Both Adelia and her husband, Jim, have carried a Union Plus Credit Card since 1988 and are fans of the program because of the competitive rates and the union-backing.
Ned Overton, an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) member from Lake Grove, NY, and a $500 gift card winner.
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How he defines the American Dream:
“The American Dream is where everyone has a fair chance in life and is given equal opportunities to be successful. You have a fair shot of having a good quality of life where you’re not constantly working where it’s paycheck-to-paycheck,” he said.
How he believes unions help achieve that goal:
“I have good benefits and a good retirement plan because of my union. Having good health, dental, and vision plans is important…. My union fought for me and my colleagues to get good contracts. If you’re a good worker and you work hard, you should receive good benefits and raises,” he said.
Theresa Heathington, a retired American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 3251 member and a $500 gift card winner.
How she defines the American Dream:
“The American Dream for me is that my family is able to live the life we want. The union afforded us the luxury of having benefits, good health care, insurance, and job stability. That’s not the way it is for a lot of people, you know. It’s also about retiring at an early age so I can still enjoy my life,” she said.
A Union Plus Credit Card holder for the past decade, Heathington only has good things to say about the program:
“I thought I should get a credit card through Union Plus since they care about people in the union. I’ve also been extremely satisfied with the customer service I’ve received from Capital One,” she said.
Ray McKenzie, an International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 12 member from Wheeling, WV, and a $500 gift card winner.
How he believes unions help others achieve the American Dream:
“Labor unions in this country provide people with better wages and jobs. They provide fair group representation that is needed. To me, that’s what the American Dream is all about,” he said.
Eric Lamb, International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 17 member from Fredonia, NY, and a $500 gift card winner.
How he defines the American Dream, and how he believes unions help achieve that goal:
“The American Dream comes down to financial security and good health. And the union provides good healthcare, retirement pensions, as well as fair wages and good working conditions. It all ties together,” he said.
Robert Hessler, a Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1000 member and a $500 gift card winner.
How he defines the American Dream:
“I’m fortunate enough to have a job with the union backing me. The American Dream is making sure to get what you want out of life. It’s all about getting along with everyone and spending time with your family and friends,” he said.
How he believes unions help achieve that goal:
“Union members are from all different walks of life and they all work together for the same cause and a good life. Because of unions, members receive better pay, which they deserve,” he said.
Taneka Heard, a Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1000 member and a $500 gift card winner.
How she defines the American Dream, and how she believes unions help achieve that goal:
“Personally, I believe the American Dream means being able to continue to work with the union backing me up. It’s about flourishing and providing for my family. I see difficulties, like possible layoffs, that my family members experience who don’t have a union, and I’m glad to have someone on my side fighting for me,” she said.
David Harlow, a retired International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 1857 member and a $500 gift card winner.
How he defines the American Dream:
“I think it means being able to have a good standard level of living where you can afford to eat and enjoy life’s pleasures, all without having to worry about coming up short at the end of the month with your finances. Unions provide fair benefits and wages, so they really contribute to the American Dream,” he said.
What he recalls the union doing for him:
“We truly needed a strong union to negotiate our contracts. When I first started working with the fire department, I learned that some of my guys were living on food stamps even though they were making a full salary as fire fighters,” he said. “It was through a good union that we negotiated fair raises and other key benefits and factors in making the job overall better,” he said.
Donna Hansen, a Civil Service Employees Association/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (CSEA/AFSCME) Local 0855 member and a $500 gift card winner.
How she believes unions help achieve that goal:
“Being with a union gives you job security. It enables you to provide for your family without worrying. Also, the union makes sure all of its members make a decent salary. To me, all of those things represent the American Dream,” she said.
How she plans to use the money:
“Winning the $500 is going to make my Christmas a lot better! I’m going to put the money toward presents this year. It will definitely help me purchase nicer gifts that I may not have financially been able to get before,” she said.
To learn more about the Union Plus American Dream Sweepstakes and to enter, visit UnionPlusSweeps.com before December 31, 2016.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes starts 10/10/16 at 12:00 AM ET and ends 12/31/16 at 11:59:59 PM ET. Open only to eligible legal residents of the United States, D.C., U.S. territories and military bases, who are Union Plus Credit Cardholders or current/retired eligible union members as of 9/28/16 and 18 years and older. Click here for Official Rules and complete details, including entry instructions, entry periods, odds of winning, prize information, eligible unions, restrictions, etc. Void where prohibited. Sponsored by Capital One, N.A. 1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102.
*Union Plus Credit Cards are issued by Capital One, N.A., pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Credit approval required. Terms and conditions apply. The Mastercard Brand Mark is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.