Travel + Fun

1. San Juan, Puerto Rico
   This U.S. territory surrounded by the Caribbean Sea is ready to welcome tourists after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. The capital city of San Juan has several unionized resorts that guarantee your vacation money will support fellow union members and the rebuilding efforts.
    
2. Orlando, Florida
   Disney World parks and resorts employ over 38,000 unionized workers.
   
   Union Plus offers discounted tickets to water and theme parks including Walt Disney World, FL.
   
   Rent a car with your Union Plus discount to visit Orlando’s many lakes and springs or nearby Cocoa and Daytona beaches. 
    
3. Anaheim, California
   Sunny Southern California is home to about 150 beaches! Several are as close as 30 minutes to Disneyland parks and resorts where over 30,000 union members bring the magic of Disney to the West Coast.
   
   Union Plus offers discounted tickets to water and theme parks including Disneyland, CA.
    
4. Maryland Casino Resorts
   Several unionized casino resorts lie in the center of Baltimore and National Harbors. At night, experience restaurants, nightlife and amazing views of the harbor waterways.
   
   By day, rent a car with your Union Plus discount to discover nearby Ocean City or Chesapeake Bay beaches. 
    
5. Miami, Florida
   Miami is color, cuisine and a crazy good time. It’s one sophisticated beach town everyone should have a chance to see. When you visit, stay at one of several unionized hotels including the famous Fontainebleau Resort, Miami Beach Resort and more.
    
6. Boston and Cape Code, Massachusetts
   In and around historic Boston Harbor are tons of unionized hotels.
   
   Rent a car with your Union Plus discount to enjoy the many idyllic beach towns that sit on the famous Cape Cod.

Start Your Unionized Resorts Travel Adventure

Before you leave town, be sure you're taking advantage of all the Union Plus travel benefits — including:

• Up to 25% off base rates, plus bonus savings on Avis, Budget, and Hertz rental cars*
• Information on unionized hotels
• Savings on tours, events, dining and more while you’re traveling.

SEE ALL TRAVEL DEALS

Check out this list of union sites around the country!

1. Amtrak Workers’ Memorial  — Washington, DC  
   Memorial that honors those Amtrak employees who lost their lives in performance of their duties.
   
   Fun fact: The Amtrak Workers' Memorial is located in Washington, DC's Union Station.
    
2. Memphis Strike of 1968 Monument — Memphis, TN
   This gallery expands the story of the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike. Features exhibits and videos highlighting Rev. James Lawson and T.O. Jones, who courageously waged the battle on behalf of striking sanitation workers.
   
   Fun fact:The iconic "I Am a Man" signs held by strikers and the garbage truck from the original exhibition can be found here. 
    
3. Haymarket Martyrs Memorial — Chicago, IL  
   On May 4, 1886, what began as a peaceful rally to protest unfair working conditions erupted into violence after a man threw a bomb at police, resulting in injuries and deaths among both protesting workers and police officers. Eight union activists were wrongfully accused, convicted and hanged. This monument is a reminder of the lives lost during the fight for workers rights.
   
   Fun fact: Visitors often leave union buttons, flowers and other tokens at the base of the monument.
    
4. Pullman National Monument Site — Chicago, IL 
   Chicago may be most well-known for its blustery weather, but it's also home to a rich labor history as well. The Pullman National Monument Site honors Chicago’s labor history with a series of monuments, museums and other important landmarks — one of which was the scene of a violent strike in the 1890s.
   
   Fun fact: The Pullman District was the first model, planned industrial community in the United States.
    
5. Mother Jones Monument — Union Miners' Cemetery, Mount Olive, IL
   This 22-foot granite monument pays tribute to the achievements of Mother Jones, the woman who is credited with co-founding the Industrial Workers of the World labor union and coordinating several major strikes.
   
   Fun fact: The Mother Jones monument is also her official burial site.
    
6. Ludlow Monument — Ludlow, CO 
   Colorado is a major mining state, producing everything from gold to coal during its mining history. The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) erected the monument to honor the victims of the Ludlow, CO massacre, an event in which over 1,000 striking coal miners were attacked by the Colorado National Guard and guards from the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company.
   
   Fun fact: Another mining monument, the Victor American Hastings Mine Disaster Monument, is less than two miles away from the Ludlow monument.
    
7. Rosie the Riveter WWII National Historical Park — Richmond, CA
   It's no secret that Rosie is one of most recognizable faces of the labor movement. This memorial goes beyond the iconic image to honor all the “Rosies” — working women of WWII and beyond.
   
   Fun fact: The Rosie the Riveter Trust (the nonprofit trust behind the Rosie the Riveter WWII Park) operates a free summer camp for at risk youth called Rosie's Girls. The camp is modeled "after women like Rosie" to help young women gain courage and confidence in their abilities.

Start Your Labor History Travel Adventure

Ready to start your labor history travel adventure? Before you leave town, be sure you're taking advantage of all the Union Plus travel benefits — including:

• Up to 25% off base rates, plus bonus savings on Avis, Budget, and Hertz rental cars.* 
• Information on unionized hotels.
• Savings on tours, events, dining and more while you’re traveling.
• And more!

SEE ALL TRAVEL OFFERS

Renting a car this weekend? Whether you’re heading off for a last-minute getaway or you’ve been planning a trip for months, these simple tips can help you stay safe and enjoy your journey.

1. Prevent Distracted Driving

Safe driving and avoiding distractions are important whenever you’re behind the wheel, and especially if you’ve rented a car to drive in an unfamiliar area. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2015, over 3,400 people were killed, and 391,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Distractions may include texting, talking on a phone or anything that causes you to lose focus on the road ahead and driving conditions.

Help reduce the chances of an accident in your rental car by staying focused and alert — make necessary adjustments to your vehicle before you start driving, tell your other passengers to keep noise levels down and don’t respond to calls or text messages while you’re behind the wheel.  

2. Plan Your Routes Ahead of Time

You might want your road trip to feel like a spontaneous adventure, but it’s good to have an idea of where you’re going, where you’re staying, what sites you plan to visit, restaurants and rest stops along the way so you can plan your driving route carefully. Online services like Roadtrippers can help you plan ahead, so you can avoid getting lost in an unsafe area, or extra charges for added mileage on your rental car.

3. Let Map Apps Guide You While Driving

Even if you plan your driving routes ahead of your trip, navigation apps like Waze or Google Maps can help keep you on track with voice directions while you’re driving. If you take a wrong turn, most apps will recalculate and help get you back on track, so you don’t have to worry about looking at a map or having your copilot read off directions the whole time. Another bonus, these apps often include navigation adjustments based on real-time construction, road closures or accidents.

Pick up a car mount for your cell phone that attaches to your vehicle’s air vent before your trip so you can stay hands-free while driving.

4. Research Local By-Laws Before You Go

Nothing disrupts a long-anticipated trip like a traffic ticket. Before heading out, research the local laws and regulations, which may differ by state. For example, can you turn right at a red light? Are U-turns legal? And where is it okay to park? Know the rules ahead of time to stay safe and avoid aggravation when you’re driving in a new place.

5. Make Sure You Have Rental Car Insurance

For an extra layer of protection and peace of mind, make sure your car insurance policy covers rental cars. If you have an accident, the costs to the rental agency are covered. These costs could include:

• Loss of use: The agency’s lost daily income because the car couldn’t be used
• Reasonable fees and charges: Like storage or other costs charged by the rental company
• Market value loss of the damaged rental car: In states other than North Carolina, there may be a charge for the loss of value of the car even after it’s been repaired.

Planning ahead for a road trip doesn’t have to be complicated. Make sure your rental car experience is a safe one, so you can save yourself time, money and stress.

Check out our list of these union made beers, ales and root beers (Barq's, Blumers or Old Philadelphia). Be sure to show your patriotism with your pocketbook this Memorial Day—and all summer long! Enjoy responsibly!

If we're missing any on this list, let us know at info@unionprivilege.org.

Text "BEER" to 22555*

Want to keep this list on-hand while you're shopping? Text "BEER" to 22555* and we'll send this list to your mobile device.
 

More Union-Made Shopping Lists Sent Right to Your Phone

On your mobile device*, you can receive union-made shopping lists!

• Text AIRLINE to 22555 for union-friendly airlines
• Text APPLIANCE to 22555 for union-made appliances
• Text BEER to 22555 for union-made beer
• Text CARS to 22555 for union-made vehicles
• Text CANDY to 22555 for union-made candy
• Text HOTEL to 22555 for union-friendly hotels
• Text PETS to 22555 for union-made pet products
• Text TOYS to 22555 for union-made toys

Fire up a Union-made Grill

• Weber (Genesis, Summit, Q Series)
• Thermador

Union-made Food for Grilling 

• Butterball burgers and franks
• Johnsonville brats and sausage
• Wenzel's sausage
• Smithfield sausage
• Oscar Meyer hot dogs
• Boars Head hot dogs
• Ball Park Franks
• Hebrew National franks
• Foster Farms fresh chicken
• Hormel Red Franks
• Nathan's Ball Park hot dogs

Union-made Fun in a Bun

• Wonder brand
• Ball Park buns
• Alfred Nickles Bakery
• Stroehmann
• Arnold
• Francisco

Union-made Fixin's

• Heinz Ketchup
• Open Pit
• French's
• Gulden's Mustard
• Frank's Red Hot
• Vlasic brand pickles
• Horizon Cheese
• Kraft Cheese
• Mission salsa & dip
• Burnham & Morrill Baked Beans

Union-made Snacks on the Side

• Munchos
• Frito-Lay
• Funyuns
• Doritos
• Rold Gold
• Chex Mixes
• Sara Lee snacks
• Planter’s Peanuts
• Utz Pretzels
• Mission chips
• Entenman’s snacks 

Alcoholic Beverages

• Union-Made beers
• Bacardi rum
• Gallo Estates wine
• Corbett Canyon wine
• Almaden wine

Beverages

• Welch's juices
• Minute Maid
• Hawaiian Punch
• Mott's
• V8
• Sprite
• Mountain Dew
• Pepsi, Diet Pepsi
• Coke, Diet Coke

Treats

• Breyers ice cream
• Good Humor ice cream
• Prairie Farms ice cream

Containers

• Solo cups, bowls, and plates
• Rubbermaid coolers

Happy Memorial Day 2024! We hope you enjoy your time with friends and family, and please remember to take a moment to honor and remember those who sacrificed everything for our freedoms!

Maria Lopez has been a member of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) for 24 years. And early on, she learned about the serious savings she could earn with the Union Plus benefits available to union members and their families. 

“There are so many perks that we use all the time,” says Lopez. “The wireless discount, the deals on restaurants and movie tickets, the flowers discount, the list goes on.”

So when Union Plus recently had a contest offering $1,000 to the union member who referred the most friends to the program, Lopez went all in. “I saw the contest in our union newsletter, and I emailed out the information to every one of my union friends,” says Lopez. Before long, she got the call that she’d won the $1,000 prize.

“That prize is really just a bonus,” says Lopez. “Union Plus has saved us thousands of dollars over the years. I go to the website and I always find something good.”

It doesn’t hurt that Lopez is an expert at finding information on the job. She’s a senior records technician for a California state program that serves a diverse population of alternative students — from kids who are home-schooled to children who are homeless. “These are kids who really need our help,” says Lopez. “So it’s nice to have Union Plus helping us.”

To unwind away from work, Lopez and her husband like to take trips to Las Vegas. It may be true that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but Lopez has learned an even more important lesson: What happens in Vegas is a lot less expensive when you use Union Plus benefit and discount programs.

“When we’re in Vegas, we use Union Plus to save on hotels, on shows, on our rental car, you name it,” she says. “We save a lot on every trip, and we go three or four times a year.”  

Helping union members save money on vacation is just one small part of Union Plus’ mission. Union Plus also helps with all sorts of everyday needs at home — from dental and vision discounts to homeowners insurance and renters insurance to assistance buying a car. And if you’re buying a home, there’s even a home mortgage program that’s especially designed for union members and their families.

Union Plus offers more than 25 member benefit and discount programs in coordination with CSEA and other unions.

“I could talk all day about all the Union Plus programs,” says Lopez. “I was thrilled to get the thousand-dollar prize, but I’d be telling people about Union Plus even without it. The benefits really come in handy. Go to the website, check it out. You’ll find so many good things.”

“I review and prepare all the papers that go to the public. I field calls about complaints and then ensure they move into our system for investigation,” said Lumley. “We’re really a haven for people who have been taken advantage of by an attorney.”

Lumley loves her job because of the people with whom she works, and she loves Union Plus through AFSCME Advantage. The referral contest emerged at the right moment for her – she had wanted to find a way to become more involved in promoting AFSCME/CSEA. 

A devout user of Union Plus benefits, she was scanning the website and saw a promotion for a Union Plus Referral Contest. The contest provided the perfect entrée for her.

“Our union really has our back, and they take good care of us, but I knew that not many people knew Union Plus was an AFSCME/CSEA benefit. I thought, ‘Wow, this is the opportunity I’ve been looking for,’” she said.

The response to referrals, which she handled with ease at UnionPlus.org, was overwhelming, and Lumley was able to sign up her entire office for all of the offers available to AFSCME/CSEA members through Union Plus. Then she found out she won the contest.

“I was in shock,” said Lumley. “Is this really happening? I never win anything.”

A mother of two daughters, Lumley loves camping and bowling and will use her $1,000 in prize money toward an upcoming, active Florida vacation. Predictably, she was also right back on the Union Plus website to find out about discounts on Florida theme parks, restaurants and recreational discounts union members can leverage while travelling.

“I love Union Plus, and of course, I think every union member should know about them. It can save them time and money,” she said. “I use Union Plus for absolutely anything and everything that’s relevant to me – from movie tickets to pet insurance. And Union Plus is so great about providing tips on cars, credit advice. They are a constant life resource for me.”

Union Plus shares periodic reminders about great discounts and new programs available for union members and their families. Follow Union Plus on Facebook for the latest contest announcements. Facebook/UnionPlus or register to receive notifications on Union Plus programs at unionplus.org.

Myth #1 — Flowers are too expensive.
Teleflora has arrangements to suit any budget including several choices under $40. Plus, your Union Plus discount gives you an additional 25% off ANY arrangement.

Myth #2 — Telefora only sells flowers and not everyone can enjoy flowers.
Teleflora’s selections include elegant plants and gift baskets of chocolate, fruit, and more.

Myth #3 — Valentine’s Day is too busy to send flowers.
Simply send flowers one or more days early so your arrangements can be enjoyed even longer.

Myth #4 — Sending flowers is cliché.
Think of all the love that goes into floral artists arranging and hand-delivering a beautiful arrangement with a heartfelt note from you. It’s a classic gesture that will always be appreciated.

Myth #5 — Flowers are only for your significant other.
Valentine’s Day is about love, not just romance. So send love to your friends, parents, siblings, or other loved ones. This unexpected gesture can go a long way to brightening someone’s day.

Save 25% on Teleflora Flowers and Gift Baskets

Now that August is here, your kids only have a few weeks left before classes, homework, and extracurricular activities once again become their top priorities. Be sure to make the most of these last few days of summer by spending some quality family time. If you need some inspiration for your end-of-the-season bucket list, get everyone together to try some of our favorite activities to celebrate the end of summer with your kids.

Celebrate ‘National Smile Week’

If you didn’t already know, the second week of August is also National Smile Week. Turn your frowns upside down and plan some smile-centered activities for your happy clan. Get the kids to write their own jokes, then see who can get the biggest laugh. While you’re eating dinner, go around the table and talk about all the things that make you feel like smiling. Make masks displaying crazy smiles, or paint pictures of smiling people.

Have a Lemonade Stand

The lemonade stand is a summer staple. If your kids haven’t already tried their hands at this classic entrepreneurial activity, help them get a stand started by creating a sign, setting up a table and mixing up some tasty lemonade. If your children have already checked lemonade-selling off their summer lists, switch things up by offering cookies, juice or other nontraditional treat.

Prepare for School

Getting your kids ready for the impending school year can be a bit stressful, but it’s also a great chance for learning and bonding opportunities. Teach the kids about money while shopping for clothes and supplies by creating a budget for and giving cash to each child. Help them pick out the necessary items and show them how to be responsible spenders. While shopping, talk to your kids about what they’ll be learning over the next year, and ask if they have any worries or concerns. Having these discussions throughout the month of August can ease the transition between school and summer.

Go on a Picnic

The season will be over before you know it, so why not bask in the warm temperatures while they’re still here and take your family on a picnic? Pack a basket with sandwiches, snacks and drinks, and head to your favorite park. Enjoy spending time outdoors with everyone before school and colder days make picnicking impractical. If leaving the house is too much, picnic in your garden that you spruced up with your kids early this summer!

These are only a few of our favorite end of summer activities, but the possibilities are endless! Summer might be stressful as a parent, but doing fun things before school start will create amazing memories together!

Originally posted on Teleflora blog.

Bring People Together

Make your patio a popular spot for family and friends to gather by equipping it with comfortable, intimate seating arrangements. If your clan enjoys gathering around a delicious grilled dinner, consider investing in an outdoor dining table with plenty of chairs. If the patio is situated in a particularly sunny spot, choose a table with a detachable umbrella that can block your loved ones – and their meals – from glaring rays.

While you may not want to use your finest china for your outdoor eating space, you don’t need to settle for paper plates. Discount stores and online shops offer plenty of durable, affordable table settings in cute designs for every aesthetic. Because patio dinners are more likely to involve spills and accidents, select dinnerware made from plastic and metal instead of glass.

Plan on hosting more casual get-togethers? Plush outdoor couches and chairs are perfect for relaxing in the great outdoors. To enable your patio to transition from day to night, install a fire pit or invest in heat lamps.

Light It Up

Go ahead and bring a little ambiance to your space by adding soft lighting. Twinkle lights, tiki torches and lantern-style lights are all excellent options, as they provide a glow without being too harsh or overwhelming. When hosting nighttime celebrations, consider creating a path from the house to the patio using lawn lights. Guests won’t be stumbling around in the dark, and your mood lighting won’t be compromised.

Add a Natural Touch

You choose to spend time on your patio rather than in your living room because it’s outside, so don’t clutter it with indoor decor. Instead, decorate it with nature’s embellishments: flowers and other eye-catching plants. Want your patio to be a Zen paradise? Bring in some potted greenery, like succulents or bamboo. Searching for the perfect centerpieces for summer barbecues? Roses, lilies and sunflowers are the best summer flowers to put the finishing touches to any warm weather dinner table.

It only takes a few additions to a backyard patio to make it the perfect escape. In addition to all of these tips, make sure you know what plants help keep the mosquitos away!