In the U.S., credit unions have a clear organizational structure. All credit unions belong to one or the other parent credit union (there are 35 of them in the U.S.). The uniqueness of credit unions is that they put together the principles and benefits of financial cooperatives, consumer cooperatives and mutual aid funds, born once by trade unions. Credit Union - one of the most attractive financial institutions for the public being a non-profit alternative to banks. Credit union as a consumer cooperative operates on the principles of equality of all its members.