Labor Union Blog

Steven Spriggs, son of a Machinists member, is one of the 2009 Union Plus scholarship winners.

The Union Plus Scholarship Program awarded $200,000 in scholarships to 133 students this year. The winners represent 41 unions and will be attending colleges, universities, trade and technical schools across the country.

Since 1991, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has provided more than $2.8 million to help fulfill the educational dreams of 1,813 students who represent millions of working families across the nation.

All members of unions participating in the Union Plus programs (as well as their spouses and dependent children) are eligible to apply for scholarships. In addition to demonstrating academic ability, applicants submit essays describing their career goals, detailing their relationship with the union movement and making the case for why they deserve a union scholarship.

This year’s scholarship recipients demonstrated strong commitments to community service and social programs. Many are members of families whose union ties go back for generations. Click here for information on eligibility and to apply for next year’s scholarships.

The scholarship program is sponsored by the Union Plus Education Foundation, part of Union Privilege, which provides consumer benefits to members and retirees of participating unions. HSBC, the issuer of the Union Plus credit card, funds the scholarships.

Union Privilege also provides the Union Safe program, which assists union members experiencing financial hardship. One of the newest benefits is the College Savings Grant, which encourages savings for a bright future by adding funds to participating members’ contributions. To find out which programs your unions offer through Union Privilege, click here.