St. Louis--American Eagle Credit Union/Anheuser Busch Employees Credit Union has dropped its relationship with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 13 and is no longer a unionized financial institution.

OPEIU Local 13 is asking union brothers and sisters, and their family and friends to please bank with another unionized credit union such as: 1^st Financial Federal Credit Union (branches in St. Charles, Hazelwood, Downtown and Wentzville), Neighbors Credit Union (branches in Downtown, Fenton, Florissant, Hazelwood, Jennings and South County) and St. Louis Community Credit Union (branches in Dellwood, Richmond Heights, Florissant, South City, Jennings, Midtown and University City).

The Communications Workers of America Local 6300 and Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 have committed to support the boycott.

OPEIU Local 13 organized the credit union in 1978, when it operated as the St. Louis Telephone Employees Credit Union. The union continued representation through 2006 when the business became Meridian Credit Union, soon merging with American Eagle Credit Union, a division of Anheuser Busch Employees Credit Union.

The difficulties with Local 13’s contract negotiations started in October 2006 with American Eagle Credit Union/Anheuser Busch Employees Credit Union. To the credit of the Local 13 members, OPEIU Local 13 won a new three-year labor agreement in October 2006.

“It was our belief that Anheuser Busch Employees Credit Union did not want American Eagle Credit Union division to be unionized, and that they wanted to punish the unionized American Eagle Credit Union employees financially, through higher medical insurance premiums and, in contrast, offering incentive programs to non-union employees,”  a OPEIU Local 13 representative said.

Last September, after contract negotiations between the American Eagle Credit Union/Anheuser Busch Credit Union and OPEIU Local 13 again opened, it became apparent that management at American Eagle Credit Union/Anheuser Busch Employees Credit Union had persuaded several Local 13 members that they would be better off without the union. OPEIU Local 13 was then decertified.

“Members contacted us stating their regrets about the decertification , but said promises made to them were difficult to disregard,”  a representative of Local 13 said.

Pass it on:  American Eagle Credit Union/Anheuser Busch Employees Credit Union is no longer a unionized financial institution.

Local 13 appreciates the support of fellow union brothers and sisters.