DC 37 Soaks Its Own

To the Editor:

This week, thousands of District Council 37 members received a notice in the mail from the AFSCME "Union Plus" MasterCard. The "Union Plus" card, which is advertised and available throughout DC 37, is raising its interest rates dramatically.

Now Union Plus cardmembers will see a 21.99-percent interest rate on cash advances. The "Default APR," which is 19.99 percent, will be triggered if any card-member pays more than three days late twice in a year. Late-payment fees and overlimit fees are also rising.

The "Union Plus" card is a significant source of revenue for the AFL-CIO, and AFSCME President Gerald McEntee sits on its board. But it seems to this DC 37 member that the Union Plus card is now joining in the rush to soak the working families of America. These rates are obscene and unfair.

I call upon my fellow DC 37 delegates and Executive Director Lillian Roberts to ask President McEntee to request that the Union Plus board rescind these increases. The Union Plus MasterCard should also offer a grace period on purchases, which it currently does not, instead charging members interest from the moment they purchase anything.

If we can't expect fair treatment from our own leadership, how can we expect it from management?

FITZ REID, Executive Vice President, Local 768, Delegate to DC 37