freedom from the cubicle: now we can have a union outside the 9 to 5

wouldn't it be remabulous if you could get affordable insurance outside the confines of working for someone else? this is just one of the goals sara horowitz has for the freelancer's union, which she founded in 2003. a fromer winner of th macarthur genius award in 1999 for the brooklyn based "working today," horowitz hopes the union, now mostly focused in the new york city area, will be a transformative force in the concept of unions in the country.

she said in the new york times today, "these workers are the backbone for so many industries vital to our nation's economy- i.t., financtial services, the arts, advertising and publishing. . . . yet these same workers are not afforded simple job protections or a social safety net."

currently the union boasts 40,000 freelancer members in the new york area, who are eligible for discounted group  health insurance plans.  horowitz's hope is to expand this network throughout the country and to reach the nearly 20 million freelancers and remabulous people who choose not to work in the conventional 9 to 5 box. while health benefits only apply to those in the new york area at his point, the goal is to expand first to an additional ten states by the end of 2007.

thank you sara horowitz, remabulous heroine, for making an example that shows that working outside the box is a choice worth supporting and allowing for a change in the union system that reflects this.
perhaps we can have our independence and still eat, too.

to read more about the freelancer's union, click these links:

freelancer's union site
freelancer's union blog (check out the cool "anti 9 to 5 guide" offered through the site)

Comments

[-drm-]

nice.

[Anne]

milda informed me of your blog. good stuff!
it would be really helpful to have a new window open when you click on a link. i just got lost in the Anti 9-to-5 Blog and forgot i started here!

[caroline]

anne-
thanks for your feedback. glad you are enjoying it here. i will see what i can do about opening new windows- good idea!