IFPTE Local 21 Member Testimonial on Union Plus Benefits

Sharon Ostermann doesn’t have a lot of free time. She’s one of only two veterinarians at a municipal animal shelter in California, and she’s the mom of a 3-year-old boy. So she was grateful to find out that refinancing through the Union Plus Mortgage Program could mostly be done online and catered to her family’s needs. Ostermann and her husband were able to sign loan documents outside, and closing took place after hours when their son was asleep—which meant they didn’t have to find and pay for child care. “It was really easy,” recalled Ostermann, an IFPTE Local 21 member since 2014. “It was safe and comfortable for everybody.” 

Ostermann credits her Wells Fargo loan agent for letting them know they could get Union Plus benefits with their mortgage. “We only found out about the Union Plus Mortgage Program because of [them],” she said. “They asked us if we were part of a union.” 

Ostermann encourages fellow union members to keep up with Union Plus emails and the latest programs and perks. “It’s a benefit we’re already getting,” she said. “We’re paying our union dues; we might as well take advantage of the discounts.”

Visit unionplus.org.