From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Economic Democracy: CREDIT UNIONS  (II) (autopost)
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 09:30:05 GMT

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What's the Difference Between Credit Unions and Other
Financial Institutions?

    MEMBER OWNERSHIP: Credit unions are owned by their members, not by
    a group of stockholders.

    NOT-FOR-PROFIT CU PHILOSOPHY: Credit unions operate for the
    benefit of members, not for the profit of stockholders

    FIELDS OF MEMBERSHIP/COMMON BOND: Credit unions bring together
    groups of people linked by employment or georgaphy and unites them
    under common financial goals and philosophies.

    VOLUNTEERISM: All board members and some staff members serve
    strictly as volunteers to preserve and nurture members' financial
    future.

    SAFETY: Credit union depostis are insured by NCUA. All credit
    unions deposit 1% of their assets into this fund to protect your
    deposits (see (3) below)

__________________________________________________________________
               Credit Union                       Bank, S&L, Etc.
__________________________________________________________________
Purpose (1)
         Not-For-Profit Cooperative		Profit
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Type of Organization (2)
        Democratically Controlled Cooperative	Corporation
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Sources of Income:
	Loans to Members/Investments		Loans to Customers/Investments
Distribution of Income:
	Dividends to Members			Dividends to Stockholders/
								Investors
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Savings/Share Rates:
	Generally Higher			Competitive
Loan Rates:
	Generally Lower				Competitive
Services:
	Membership Specific			Mass-Market Oriented
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Employee Benefits:
	Payroll Deduction/Direct Deposit	Direct Deposit
Safety:(3)
	Member Accounts Insured to $100,000	Customer Accounts Insured
							 to $100,000
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Board of Directors:
	Unpaid Volunteers from Membership	High-Paid Stockholders
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Growth:
	Fastest Growing Financial Group
Customer Satisfaction:
	Rated Highest In Customer Satisfaction
__________________________________________________________________

===========
N O T E S :
===========

(1) A Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative run by
and for its members.

(2) One member, one vote -- not "one share, one vote," and the Board
of Directors is elected directly by and directly from the membership,
with genuine democratic control and equal say by all members; in other
institutions, decisions are made by stockholders or investors with
voting based on the amount of business they do, or the amount of money
they have.

Unlike other financial institutions, where the Directors are
highly-paid stockholders whose job is to maximize profits the
financial institution makes from its customers, at a Credit Union the
Directors are volunteers elected from the membership based on their
experience as well as enthusiasm for promoting the interest of the
Credit Union's "customers" -- its member-owners.

(3) All account are insured up to $100,000 by the National Credit
Union Administration (NCUA), an agency of the federal government, so
your funds are just as safe as in a bank -- in fact, safer according
to some studies which have shown the NCUA is likely to handle a
financial disaster better than banks, and, unlike banks, have
sufficient funds to do so without the need for taxpayer assistance in
the case of such a disaster.


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