Catherwood LibraryILR School

Workers classified as independent contractors or freelancers are often exempt from many of the regulations that protect regular employees. This can mean both a lack of benefits and a lack of workplace protections. A new union, the Freelancers Union, is looking to represent those workers. Studies say that there are more than 20 million independent contractors in the United States, a figure that is expected to grow. One of the main things that the Freelancers Union provides is affordable health care for members. The union is part of a group of associations that are representing workers who have typically been left out of the labor movement, including domestic workers, taxi cab drivers and models. The Freelancers Union represents more than 200,000 workers, including lawyers, software developers, writers and designers.