Conference 7.286::dcu

    Bill Parke
    VMS Engineering

    A new participant, given the latest fiasco.  But I will be keeping in
    occasional touch, hoping that some day, sense (or possibly cents) will
    reign.

    Bruce Harrison
    CSC/CS 

    A regular reader and occasional writer for about 4 months now.

Ed Adler
OSG/Engineering (Manalapan)

Over 19 years with DEC and a DCU member since its inception.

    Bill Stewart 
    field service zk0
    
    
    i read it also trying to keep up with what is going on with the dcu 
    

     Jim Johnson
     CIS Marlboro

     Mostly reader,  occasional writer, soon to be ex-DCU member.

    	Joe Oppelt
    	CSC Colorado Springs
    
    	Participant in this conference almost since it started.
    	Opened my DCU account the day I started at DEC in 1983.
    	Besides my account, I have 6 other family accounts.  All
    	in all we have 7 savings accounts, 5 RSVP accounts, 3
    	checking accounts, a CRT line of credit.  Have had various
    	CDs and loans from time to time.  Currently have direct
    	deposit.

    Bruce Susel
    
    HASBU performance engineering
    
    Dec employee 12+ years
    DCU from day 1

    Tony Priborsky
    
    Small disk engineering (DEC-built SCSI & DSSI disks)
    
    I have been a DCU member literally since they opened.  The only thing
    that kept my name from being on the "charter member" plaque was my
    relative lack of money when I forst opened my account (not that that
    has changed any).
    
    DCU has provided me, my wife and kids (we have four accounts in all)
    with our only banking services (except for safety deposit box) since
    they opened (how long has it been, now - it's got to be going on 11
    years).
    
    I've sat silently by as little fee increases have crept in.  It all
    started when they raised the minimum balance for interest on checking
    to $500 then to $1000.  I don't want to get started here, because...
    
    It might sound like I'm campaigning.  I'm thinking seriously about
    taking out nomination papers for the BOD.

Nina Eppes
Technical writer at ZKO (Nashua, NH)

Have been at DEC for 10 years and a DCU member since they opened a branch office
at ZKO. When I moved to Nashua nearly 4 years ago, I moved all my banking to DCU
(before then it was split between DCU and BayBank).  I've gotten two car loans 
from DCU and I have a DCU VISA card.

I am currently waffling about whether to pull my business from DCU....

    Jim Sherwin
    Strategic Finance
    VIPS PBU
    
    Frequent conference reader (much more frequently, lately).
    
    Occasional Contributor.
    
    DCU member since 1983 (I installed most of the Computer hardware
    at the NRO branch, long since replaced).  
    
    I'm as angry and frustrated as anyone ...
    
    but I'm sticking with DCU; I can't change it from the outside, only
    from the inside.

    Dale Black
    GSO Security
    
    I have been with DCU for 5 1/2 years, I guess it's time to move on.
    

    Barry Milberg
    NJO  = Parsippany, NJ
    
    NO local DCU branch
    NO local DCU money machine
    
    I use the DCU for weekly automatic deposit of a LARGE portion of my
    (small) check and write 2-3 checks per month for mortgages.
    
    Because of this, my balance builds up way over the $1000 mark, but -
    for less than a week each month, is very small - below the 'magic
    number'.
    
    I have a local account - with automatic deposit - that pays interest
    and is used heavily anyway.
    
    IF the new rules do go into effect, since my car loan is paid off, I'll
    just keep the $5 min to be a member in savings and move everything
    else to the local banks.
    
    	-Barry-
    

    George Pagliarulo  NIO
    
    A new readere of this conference since I got the latest notices from
    DCU.  Both my wife and I use DCU for all of our checking and most of
    our savings.  Seriously thinking of closing all my accounts and moving
    elewhere.
    
    

    Dennis Rieu
    HASBU Performance Engineering
    I've been with DEC 17 years. 
    I joined DCU when they first opened in WMO which was just about day one
    Since then I've done ALL my banking with them. By the end of this month
    I'll have all but a stock loan and $5 in Savings removed to Merchants 
    National Bank in Leominster.
                                       Denny 

Jack DelBalso
Continuing Software Engineering, TNSG, ZKO

I've been a DCU member ever sinced I was forced into it as a happy member
of Workers' Credit Union when DCU was instituted. Anybody who's read my
notes in here knows how I feel about the issues.

-Jack

    Bob Gormley
    Industrial Product Support
    CSC Colorado Springs
    
    DCU member since 1970. Happy with the DCU in the past. Leaving the DCU
    for the Air Academy Federal Credit Union soon if the DCU doesn't reverse 
    its present trend.

	Charlie Whittall
	MAXCIM Program Office
	Northboro, MA

	Member for last 4 years..  Currently have Second-mortgage L.O.C
	and a rainy day savings account.  Checking account with another
	bank, because my wife works with them, and we get free checking
	as an employee benifiet.

    
    Sue Camber
    EMC Domain Office, in the Mill
    
    -- With DEC for 17+ years, DCU member since the beginning.
       I'm a read-only noter who checks in here pretty much on
       a monthly basis to keep track of what's going on, or more
       frequently when there's a hot issue such as new fees.(!)
    
    

Bill Sconce
Continuing Software Engineering, ZKO

DCU member since before there was a DCU (i.e., since WCU days).  Happy
customer of some of the friendliest front-line employees of any organization
I deal with.  Over the years, less-than-satisfied customer each time
it was necessary to deal with Headquarters.

    Bill Kindel
    Sofware Engineering Supervisor
    Secure Systems, LTN1
    
    I joined DCU shortly after I joined Digital in 1987.  DCU is my third
    credit union.  I'm too far from Omaha to make reasonable use of the SAC
    FCU (from my USAF days -- they're still the best of the three) and the
    credit union at my previous employer (Honeywell Information Systems)
    went under at about the same time Bull took over.
    
    I'd like DCU to be my financial institution of choice, but it's simply
    not competitive (and getting less so 8^(.  A new Board of Directors
    with a new vision of DCU's purpose is BADLY needed right now.  The
    membership has been disenfranchised over the past few years; that needs
    to be corrected IMMEDIATELY, not next spring.

        Bob Kaplow
        Chicago Suburbs
        DCU member almost since day 1
        
        NO DCU Branch
        NO DCU ATMs
        NO DCU Mortgages
        NO DCU Services
        NO DCU Satisfaction
        
        and soon to be
        
        NO DCU Deposits!

    Just started reading this conference ever since the DCU "Choice" was
    aired. I've been a member of the DCU for a few years. 
    I guess it's time for a good housecleaning over at the DCU.
    		Cindy

    
    
     Bob Paluses
     MSO2 Maynard
    
    DCU Member 5 years - Not ready to jump ship yet but I'm keeping an
    eye on the lifeboats....

Marvin Levin
Chicago area (Lived in Massachusetts until 1986)
DECcie for 20+ years
DCU member since its inception
reader of this conference as of yesterday -- I'll be a regular reader and
  an occasional responder.

DCU checking (for major payments)
savings, RSVP accounts for two children

Soapbox:
	I think this conference reflects great over-reaction, (although
	I think I can understand many of the reasons why.)

	I was offended by glossy "MORE CHOICES, MORE OPTIONS!", but tend to
	see it as an incredible gaffe by someone rather than as a plot
	to sneak in a fee. (I understand a more reasoned explanation from BoD
	will be posted soon.)

	Recently changed my local day-to-day bank because they imposed
	fees on heretofore free checking. They too sent out a similar brochure.
	(It's not just DCU who's facing new realities about costs.)

	I have always been, and continue to be, pleased with any/all DCU
	people I've had to deal with.

	Not sure whether I'll close checking account. May likely switch to 
	DCU savings if I do. Saves me at most $12 of fees per year, but it
	would be inconvenient to lose the ability to easily and quickly:
	  o transfer money from my son's RSVP and write a tuition check
	  o make a last-minute decision to pay a bill from DCU account
	    instead of "regular" (local) account

    Marcia Landingham
    Exec. Secretary - Marlboro
    5 Years at DEC ~ DCU Member most of that time.
    
    Just got into this conference for the first time since learning of the
    new checking fees. 
    
    Didn't get our mortgage thru DCU when it came time to get a house. 
    Their rates were NBD; we did better elsewhere.  The process to get a
    mortgage at DCU left me feeling like, "no favors here."  Got our
    mortgage through FSB and did much better.
    
    I keep a small portion of my salary in DCU with a checking account.
    Soon to close that out and become another "ex" customer.  As I said,
    "no favors here."  No benefits to using DCU whatsoever. 
    
    I used to think of an employee credit union as a bennie-- greater
    consideration given to employees, better rates, better portfolio of
    accounts, etc.  No more.
    
    marcia
    

    Jon Levy
    FDDI Networks
    TAY2 Littleton
    
    A frequent reader, & sometime contributor. I left the DCU when the
    interest earned minimum was raised to $1000 without notice.
    
    No regrets.

    Elaine Ritchie
    LTN1
    
    I started read-only about the time of the Mangone firing.  Sure
    surprised me!  I, too, have been a member since joining DEC in 1983.  I 
    still remember the days of getting interest bonuses once a year.  Seems 
    like a long time ago.  I've got others in my family to join, but now there
    is no reason for them to stay.
    
    I'm planning to bail out, just waiting for the right time.  I think
    that there are too many "bankers" working for DCU.  They've got the
    wrong mentality.  It's not "what you can get away with" or "what the
    insurance will cover", it's what is the right thing, what is the best
    for our fellow members.
    

Joan Deaderick
USS ECAD Software Development

I've been a member since 1982, when I obtained a first mortgage from DCU.

I alos have an account at BayBank, because it was difficult to withdraw
cash in the early days (no branch nearby, no ATMs).

I've contributed to this conference when something of interest happened to me.
I read it when something outrageous happens (Mangone; now the new fees).

Don't know yet whether I'll move my "pittance" elsewhere.


-Joan

    Terry Donald
    DCD (formerly known as ESDP)

    I've been with DCU since the days of WCU. A couple of years ago I
    went to WCU for a car loan after being discouraged at DCU. It was a
    pleasure doing business with them. No hassles.

    I'm a faithful reader of this conference. DCU has been on a downward
    spiral for a while now. This latest fiasco is the last straw. We are
    looking at alternatives in the Nashua area. I will keep the minimum
    in savings - just to vote out the incumbents.

	Brian Wibecan
	VMS Engineering, ZKO

I became a DCU member when I first joined DEC 2 years ago.  My primary bank
account is with BayBank; my direct deposit goes there.  I live in MA, and my
wife works in MA, so a NH bank is not practical, but I keep the DCU account for
the sake of being able to withdraw money without leaving the building, to
deposit an occasional check when getting to BayBank right away is inconvenient,
and to have a second checkbook for the rare occasion when I need to write a
check while away from home (of course, any bank would serve for that function). 
I have a first mortgage held by DCU; they got me a good rate, and don't keep an
escrow account, so I don't have hassles about insurance or taxes not being
paid.

I don't know what I'm going to do in the current situation.  I'm probably one
of the accounts they want out.  Given the level where I keep the checking
account, four dollars a month is significant...

						Brian

Steve Drown

   Member for 7 years. Now in North Carolina. As soon as my equity loan goes 
   through at my local bank, I'll close out my CRT and my family's savings
   accounts.

    Mike Frazier
    VAX/TPS Team
    Colorado Springs
    
    I am a new Digital Employee who immediately joined the DCU.  I will be
    following this Notes Conf very closely, and will be making a decision
    on moving my accounts to a local institution (that is much more
    competitive) before 15-Sep-1991.  I will leave minimum amount in my
    savinings account for voting privs.

    Linda Gibson
    NNE FMC 
    Merrimack, NH
    
    7 years with DEC -- joined DCU day one.
    Only have savings account with minute balance. Used for short-term
    savings only. Primary banking at Worcester Central Federal Credit
    Union, with checking accounts at Baybank and Boston Federal Savings. 
    Fees at DCU are not an issue -- Baybank charges more, but is more
    convenient. I live in MA.  
    
    I'm one of the accounts they'd love to lose. I had a computer loan 
    when I first joined the company, but would never take out another loan
    there again. Better terms and service at WCFCU. 
    
    I'll keep my small savings for the ability to cash a personal check 
    drawn on Baybank. 
    
    Linda

re .-1

  I find it hard to believe that any account really costs them that much.
Yes I suppose that this type of account as an anoyance BUT does it really
cost them anything??  Yes it costs them postage to send statements.  It
costs some amount when you cash a check but I argue that cashing a check
is lost in the overhead of having staff and your addition can't be measured!

  My guess is that you cost them less than $3.50 a year!  If this isn't
noise then there is a serious problem with the way they do business.

    Gwen Grosjean
    
    Started reading this conference today.  I live in the Washington,
    DC area.  There is no DCU branch convenient to me.  I pay
    $1/transaction when I want to have cash from an ATM.  I've enjoyed
    being a DCU member anyhow and will not enjoy moving my account if
    the service charge idea is not scrapped.
    

    	Greg Ekholm
    	Colorado Springs, Co.
    
    Read this conf years ago and stopped. Just restarted after not being
    able to get any answers from the local Colorado Springs DCU office
    and no answers from Mary Maden's office in Maynard. Seems no one at
    either place is willing to return my phone calls or answer my
    questions. Have opened an IRA with a local bank and started the
    transfer process from DCU out to the competition. Will move funds
    based on the competition's rates verses the DCU's. 
    
    	I believe the DCU has lost touch with it's members. My original
    question is no longer important. The fact that no one will answer my
    question or return my calls is! 
    
    RE: everyone that has written since the 15th of August. Keep the
        info flowing. It's the only way we out of the GMA can get any
        real info. Thanks to all for the insight.

Fred Vaughn
Marlboro MA

I recently starting monitoring this conference. I have been a Digital employee
for almost 13 years now and I have been a member of DCU since it's inception.

    Gil Davis
    Albuquerque, New Mexico
    
    (Intel Semiconductor mfg Account Manager)
    
    Member since DCU started...still have the funny glass they gave away..
    

    Roberta Davidson-Stratton, Jim Stratton & Robert Stratton
    
    I'm mostly read only, responding every now and then.
    
    Jim & I opened our first account before we got married in 1983 to keep
    the wedding expenses seperate from the everyday expenses.
    
    I opened an account (seperate) in June of 1985 when I became an
    employee of DCU.
    
    Robert's account was opened in July of 1985 (remember the CHEF
    accounts?).
    
    Between the three account numbers we now have 2 checking accounts, 2 CRT
    accounts, 3 RSVP accounts and numerous share accounts.  We are now in
    the process of looking for a new bank, but leaving the $5.00 in Jim's
    and my Share 1 account so that we can still vote...
    
    Roberta

Gary Hicks
Realtime Product Support
Atlanta CSC

I have been a member for about 6 years.  I plan to close out my checking 
accounts soon.  I will keep some money in the savings accounts in hopes that 
I can help influence DCU back in the direction of being a credit union that 
serves its members rather than a bank.

Camille Chavez
AI Technology Center
Marlboro, MA

I started with DCU the day I started with Digital.  Since relocating and
moving several times, I haven't been able to beat the convenience of not having
to close, open, and close, open accounts - plus being able to stop at many
Digital sites here in Massachusetts.  I have my main checking account, an RSVP
a zero balance CRT loan account, and have had some CD's at DCU.

DCU tellers have been friendly.  I've had an excellent credit rating
since I was seventeen years old (working at and got credit card from Sears), 
had a car loan and CRT at DCU, mortgages as references, etc. - all were payed 
off early.  I have had Gold cards from American Express, Mastercard, Visa - and constant 
non-stop mail offers to get more credit, including an AMEX platinum, and DCU 
denied me a Gold Visa!  Well, I still pay no annual fees, and pay off all 
credit cards monthly.  They had no concrete reasons to give me for their denial
 - only offering a regular card - so I said, forget it.  I still have several 
gold cards I pay no fees on, and an excellent credit rating without them!

I've read through all the Registry, and its' interesting to me that
so many members have so many accounts elsewhere.  Then DCU goes and alienates
folks more so they can lose more business.  I'm poised to do what I must based
on whether things improve.

I read this file off and on, but haven't been able to get into it until now
for the last week!

Larry Seiler
Semiconductor Engineering
Hudson MA

I've always had an account outside the DCU -- Baybanks while I lived
inside rte 128, and People's now that I live near Worcester.  The
basic idea was that it is convenient for me to use the DCU and it is
convenient to my wife to use a bank with branches where she shops.
Not to mention that People's is easy to deal with, and is a genuine
example of a conseratively run bank.

I will not be cancelling my DCU checking accounts -- this spring I
purchased 400 checks each for two DCU accounts.  Not so wise, in
retrospect, but this was before I realized that I knew more about
what Cape Cod real estate prices are doing than the DCU.  I *am*
pulling out all of my accounts other than checking -- I should have
done it long ago.  I've made plans to leave completely if things
don't improve.

I have reached the point where I am seriously wondering *why* the 
current BoD members have stayed on the BoD so long.  It cannot be
for the disinterested joy of running the DCU, as that reason doesn't
last long when the going gets tough.  It's not because it's a job
that no one else is willing to do.  It isn't for the pay -- the
position is volunteer.  I think it isn't uncalled for to ask the
BoD whether they are legally profiting from their relationship
with the DCU, e.g. through loans or other percs.  While such things
can be done in ways that are completely legal (unlike the antics of
our ex-president), I think the membership should be told.  But I
expect it'll be a cold day in August before we ever *are* told.

	Enjoy,
	Larry

    Carl Leeber
    ACO/MOO

    I'm a charter member of DCU, have 4 family "sub-accounts" in addition
    to my badge specific "member" account. Two accounts have checking. All
    accounts have multiple savings accounts and CDs.

    After the departure of the DCU president, I thought about leaving DCU.
    But up to that point I had been treated well and I felt DCU should be
    given a chance to clear the problem without me contributing to a "run"
    on (from?) the DCU.

    The timing of the fees and the manner of its announcement, added to the
    president matter, has brought me the point of taking action to
    spread (reduce) my risk. I do business with 3 other institutions and
    CDs from DCU will most likely go to one or two of them.

    I will keep one checking account and pay the $2.00 fee since I can have
    "direct-deposit" to two banks at once (payroll deduct to DCU and an actual
    direct-deposit to another bank). I really would like to stay with DCU
    and will keep my voting rights in-place while DCU sorts this out.

    I am a "charter" member of this conference, have contributed to it from
    time-to-time and read it's new entries regularly. 

    Bill Burns
    Ultrix Engineering Group
    ZK03-3/T79

I'm Nanci Van Fleet.  I've been a DCU member for the past 5 years.  When the 
information about the new "choices" DCU is offering the members I was upset
enough to start investigating.  I've been reading this Notesfile along with
the topic on this subject in Colorado notes.  I am about to the point of
closing my accounts and moving them to a local bank.  

The DCU is just not competetive in Colorado anymore.  When I called Mary Madden t
to express my concern i got Ms. Daddeico who kept telling me that I should explore
the alternatives and do what was best for me.  Well I did, and I found that
with the institution of the new "choices" the DCU is my *least* competetive
alternative in this area.  I can't help but wonder if the DCU is doing this in
order to drastically reduce their membership for purposes we're unaware of.

Nanci

    
    Bayard Coolidge
    GURU::COOLIDGE or [email protected]
    ZKO1-1/E37
    
    Been a DCU member since its inception, as has my wife.
    
    Been a DEC employee for nearly 14 years.
    
    Learned of this conference from the New Hampshire conference, and
    am keeping my ear to the ground due to all of the recent events.

    Bob Leigh
    TOOK::LEIGH
    
    Long-time reader of this conference.  At DEC nearly 10 years, DCU
    member ever since I started at DEC.

    
    Charlie, Cal, Calcagni
    EWIS  Maynard (MSO2)
    
    Mostly reader.  
    
    Have been a member since I joined the company.  Only complaint was the
    fee introduction idea, which I formally protested.
    
    Cal

    David Hood
    Desktop Advisory Group
    Alpharetta GA
    
    Mostly reader, closed my checking account recently, only opened it
    to begin with to pay my AMEX bills.  Still have free checking with
    Georgia Federal.  Got it when they offered free checking for direct
    deposit back in '84.  They don't do it anymore but I still have my
    account free.

    Susan Barnum
    Government Segment, T & N EIC
    Merrimack NH
    
    I've been with DEC 5.5 years and joined the credit union day 1. I have
    mostly been satisfied with the services provided (although variable
    auto loans only seem to go up). I too am concerned with the status of
    the DCU, but am going to wait on a decision to stay/leave until the NH
    5 banks get sorted out (Columbus Day weekend?).
    
    I'm a new notesfile member.

    
    Kirk Dowsey
    Engineering support, small tapes manufacturing
    Springfield, mass.
    
    I am a charter member of DCU. I've been with DEC 15 years. Today is
    my first day in this notesfile.
    
    	Kirk