BTU members have the opportunity to enjoy many benefits, including:
AFT Member Benefits, Local 340
Union Plus Member Benefits
Union Plus – How It Works
Union Plus Financial Products and Services
Union Plus Home-Related Products and Services
Union Plus Travel and Entertainment
Union Plus Auto-Related Products and Services
Union Plus Insurance Plans
Union Plus Health Insurance (Dental, Vision, Prescriptions, Hearing, Retiree Health Insurance)
Union Plus Hardship Help (Financial, Homeowner, and Healthcare Assistance)
Please call AFT + Member Benefits at 800-238-1133, ext. 8643,
with general Union Plus program questions.
Higher Education Services
Union Plus Free College Benefit and Scholarships
Scholarships Union Plus offers Scholarships $500-$4000, applications become available mid June. The scholarships are open to Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant’s spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent).
The one year membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31 of the scholarship year. This is a competitive scholarship. Applicants are evaluated according to academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended. The required essays can account for up to half your total score. A complete application must be received on or before 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on January 31st of the scholarship year. Students may re-apply each year.
Eastern Gateway Community College offers free Associates Degrees for union members and family members. The program offers seven associate degrees and two certificate programs. Credits can be transferred to a four-year college.
Degree courses include:
-Accounting
-Associate of Arts
-Business Management — with Optional Concentrations in: Labor Studies; Entrepreneurship; Health Care Management; Human Resources; Information Technology; Marketing or Finance
-Criminal Justice
-Early Childhood Education
-Individualized Study
-Paralegal
-Professional Office Management
Certificate programs include:
-Business Management – with an optional concentration in Accounting
-Patient Navigator
Grand Canyon University offers a 25% scholarship on all of our masters level education programs and they also offer a 25% scholarship for masters level programs which lead to initial teacher licensure:
Degree courses include:
-MA (Master’s Degree) Reading (Elementary or Secondary focus)
-MA TESOL
-MA Autism
-MA Curriculum & Instruction
-MS (Master of Science) Instructional Tech
-MEd (Master of Education) Educational Leadership
-MEd SPED
-MEd Elementary Ed
-MEd Secondary Ed (emphasis in humanities or STEM)
-MEd Early Childhood Education
-MEd School Counseling
-MEd Early Childhood and SPED
The $150 per credit hour can apply toward any member needing a stand alone course, to include paraprofessionals. They also offer bachelors level programs.
For more information about any of these programs, contact
Samantha Maxwell at Samantha.Maxwell@gcu.edu or call 602-247-3723.
Central State University offers a Bachelors Degree completion program. An Associate degree or 60 credit hours in the intended major is required to enroll.
Students who have earned an Associate Degree or college credit outside of their intended major, will begin with the Free College program at Eastern Gateway Community College and then, transfer into Bachelor’s Degree Completion program at CSU.
Classes begin every eight weeks and all courses are conducted online. Courses are offered in both 16 and 8 week formats and CSU accepts all previous credits.
Bachelors Degrees offered for Business Management and Teacher Education, licensure and non-licensure (PreK-5th grade).
Call 1-888-897-9671 to speak to an Enrollment Advisor, or visit https://www.unionlowcostdegrees.org/
Walden University offers 10% tuition reduction that is offered to members on over 80 degree programs. They offer more than 435 specializations and concentrations. Also, depending on the program of study that a member decides to pursue, and when s/he is looking to start a program, there may be additional savings available that can be combined with the 10% partnership reduction.
Walden University also offers our members dedicated student support services.
Student support services can be found on this link and then by clicking on the various graphics (which expands the overview of the service):
Enrollment start dates are on a rolling basis so typically whenever an individual is looking to begin a program there is a start date right around the corner.
Call 1-855-628-3427 or visit www.waldenu.edu/btu for more details.
In order to take advantage of some of these amazing benefits, you will need to know your AFT member ID#. This can be retrieved by sending an email to aftmembership@aft.org and requesting an AFT ID card or calling 202-879-4400 and speaking to AFT Membership directly.