Movement in Missouri is under way for Bank Transfer Day, with one small credit union already planning to staff an account opening desk at an Occupy Kansas City event planned for Saturday, Nov. 5, in that city's Liberty Memorial Park.

“We've been invited by rally organizers to be there and we'll circulate, have our clip boards and our iPhones at the ready,” said Erin Williams, vice president-marketing/business development at the $8.5 million United Labor CU.

Her 4,600-member CU was invited by labor unions to the “Occupy Kansas City and Bank Transfer Day” event to be held that day. United Labor CU already is regularly open from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, Williams said, but “we might open early that day.”

The Missouri Credit Union Association, in its weekly bulletin, suggested that CUs that wanted to recognize Bank Transfer Day might consider extended hours that day or opening at special times.

“Considering this kind of opportunity given to us, we need to be ready and look at extended hours,” said Amy Bucaida, vice president-marketing/communications.

CUNA also reminded its nationwide membership that credit unions that are open on Saturdays “need to be fully staffed that day to take care of the members.” The trade group said it also has been working on “guidance materials” on how to handle Bank Transfer Day that it hopes to soon share with state leagues.

Bucaida urged Missouri CUs to make sure their websites and Facebook sites are equipped to enable potential new members to make the switch. She also said that the Missouri Crashers, part of a nationwide movement of young credit union leaders, may join the Occupy Kansas City rally.

The MCUA itself also plans to be represented there, Bucaida said. “We were asked (by organizers) to be available at the Occupy Kansas City rally,” said Bucaida.

The New Jersey Credit Union League also reminded its members Wednesday about the significance of Bank Transfer Day, suggesting CUs might “use a message in their marketing leading up to and around the Nov. 5^th date.”

The NJCUL also noted that credit unions across the country “are taking their 'ditch your bank' messages to billboards airwaves, and newspapers.” The league said credit unions can also use a message “available through NJCUL's 'Banking You Can Trust' toolkit that states 'I Love My Bank Because it's Not a Bank'.”

Instant Insights /

Bank Transfer Day: Missouri, New Jersey Leagues, Kansas City CU and CUNA Prepping

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