Steven Greenhouse covers the labor beat for the New York Times, and he's just authored a new book on the plight of American workers. In The Big Squeeze, Greenhouse trains his reporter's eye on how workers are dealing with decreasing benefits and increasing job insecurity. Needless to say, some are going solo, and that's where Freelancers Union comes in:

The Freelancers Union is not a typical union that bargains with employers and threatens strikes. Rather, it pools the freelancers' buying power to obtain more affordable health, dental, and disability insurance, and it pools their political power to push for policies such as unemployment insurance for freelancers. (pp. 127-8)

It's great to see Freelancers Union mentioned several times in The Big Squeeze. If you want to read more, it's available in the usual places. (But if you go to B&N, don't forget to use your discount.)