Don't forget to set up your account with AFL-CIO Employees Federal Credit Union BEFORE applying for loans! Notes on how below under "Instructions For Applying for an Interest Free Strike Loan." Loans are guaranteed, no member will be denied but a credit check may occur. 

HOW THE INTEREST FREE LOANS WORK:

•  These loans are being offered to ONA and PNWHMA members who work for Providence and are currently on strike.
• The loans are guaranteed by the union and the interest will be paid by AFT our national union. Here's how it works;
  • Apply for a loan based on the number of weeks that you have been on strike and have lost pay. (Two week increments.) Up to $1,000 per week.
  • When completing the loan process you will see that the interest rate is 7%
  • Pay the loan back in the agreed upon amount of time, including the interest (generally one year).
  • Once the loan is paid back in full we will ask you to submit verification of that and at that time the union will reimburse you for the total interest that you paid on top of the loan.
  • More details to come as we move forward. Questions; bmccamish@aft.org. 

NOTE: Striking workers are eligible only after they miss a paycheck. The amount of the loan is based on the number of weeks of lost wages. On this strike, that would mean two weeks of lost wages. The loans are underwritten by AFT and ONA for $1,000 a week. 

For example: If you miss a paycheck on Jan. 31 for two weeks of work you can apply for two weeks’ worth of loans ($1,000 weekly backing x 2 weeks = $2,000). Going forward for each pay period where there are lost wages due to the strike, members of the union can apply for loans at a rate $1,000 a week. 

• Click here for a PDF version of the instructions below. 
• Click here for a basic flyer on the Interest Free Strike Loan program.

Questions: Call the Credit Union at 301-683-2800 or 301-683-2782. If you have further questions the credit union is not able to answer, you can follow-up by emailing AFT at bmccamish@aft.org

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING FOR AN INTEREST FREE STRIKE LOAN:

FIRST, COMPLETE THE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

See the bottom of this webpage for screenshots if using a cell phone although we recommend applying from a computer if possible.

1. Visit the AFL-CIO Employees Federal Credit Union webpage
2. Click on Services and then Forms & Applications.
3. Scroll down to Membership, Accounts & Services and open the first item “Membership with Online Account Application”.
4. Create your application document by entering the name of the Applicant(s) and click “Continue”
5. Click “View & Sign All” to open your application.
6. Click “Start” in the bottom right corner and adopt your “Signature” to autosign when the form is complete.
7. Complete the necessary fields on the application. Select to open a "savings account" or a "checking account", whichever you prefer.
8. Auto-sign and send the application back to the credit union.
9. Take a legible photo of your non-expired, government issued picture ID and send to the credit union at general@aflcioefcu.org
10. Take a legible photo of a recent pay stub and send to the credit union general@aflcioefcu.org (link sends e-mail) or by Fax: 202-393-6279.
11. When you open your account, there will be a request for a $5 deposit. Please disregard this request, AFT will be covering the deposit.
12. If you can’t complete the application in one sitting, the Credit Union system will send a link for the form to your email. Because this is a private, financial matter, remember to use your personal email, not an employer email.
13. Questions: Call the Credit Union at 301-683-2800 or 301-683-2782. If you have further questions the credit union is not able to answer, you can follow-up by emailing AFT at bmccamish@aft.org

SECOND, AFTER YOUR ACCOUNT IS CREATED, THEN COMPLETE THE LOAN APPLICATION

1. Scroll to the bottom and click “Apply”. This should take you to the loan application list here.
2. On the next page, scroll to the bottom, read the “Special Assistance” loan disclosure.
3. Click in the “I Agree” check box, then click “Next Page”.
4. There are maximum loan amounts on there that apply generally.
5. Next page they choose “Loan Purpose” as “Strike” and then put in the amount (our limit is $1,000.00 per week).
6. Repayment method as “Automatic Payment”
7. Say “NO” to having it protected.
8. The next page is the application. The * items are required so complete as much of the assets, other debts, etc. as you can.  You only have to fill out personal info, address/phone/email and employment info and then the check boxes at the bottom. Loans are guaranteed, no member will be denied but a credit check may occur. See the section at the top of this page "HOW THE INTEREST FREE LOANS WORK" for more details.
   

APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP VIA CELLPHONE

(1) Via the AFL-CIO Employee Federal Credit Union App: If you get the page pictured to the far left here, which you would see if you downloaded the Credit Union App, click on the three dots that say “more” and choose “Home Page”

(2) Via webrowser on phone: Visit http://www.aflcioefcu.org/ On the Home page, click on the three lines on the top right to get to the directory and then choose Services.  Follow the rest of the instructions from #2 under complete the Membership Application.