Why Joining Freelancers Union Is A Great Idea

As self-employed contractors, freelancers are accustomed to making a living independently. Although, this doesn’t make their lives necessarily easier. Freelancers make up one-third of the US’s working force. 

Despite this, they’re still not recognized as eligible beneficiaries of labor laws. Fortunately, Freelancers Union can help these self-employed contractors earn better labor rights, protection, insurance, and more. Read on to see how.

What Is Freelancers Union?

Initiated by Sara Horowitz and based in the US, Freelancers Union is now a multi-thousand membership union that serves the self-employed community. The union was formed to help freelancers with the professional intricacies of their work. One benefit of Freelancers Union membership is that it ensures financial security plans for the families of self-employed workers.

At the heart of the union is the mission to serve the interest of individual workers. Freelancers, like any other sole proprietor, can derive great benefits from the advice that the union provides to its members. The biggest aim of the union is to advocate the working rights of freelancers who often have difficulty establishing the validity of their work. 

In addition to being disqualified for other employee rights, self-employed workers regularly experience late payments or even no payments at all for their services. Accordingly, a union membership can be your gateway to better and safer working conditions.

The Advantages of Joining

Joining a union can help you network with people that are navigating similar lives and challenges. This not only creates a supportive environment, but also creates a platform to exchange tricks of the trade. Here are a few other important benefits worth noting:

• The advocacy granted by the union isn’t just limited to issues of payment but touches upon various aspects of the lives of freelancing individuals. It battles for the cause of unemployment benefits, superannuation, taxes, and insurance
• The US-based Freelancers Union has also launched its very own insurance company to provide some kind of income security to its members. This is crucial to the livelihood of many solo workers who don’t typically enjoy employee rights such as parental leaves, sick leaves, security from taxation risks, and more
• The union also offers tailored courses on various subjects such as accounting and marketing to its members. This is a great opportunity for self-employed individuals that are looking for ways to strengthen their professional profile
• According to one research, around 44% of freelancers struggle with late payments. Freelancers Union could act as your backup for those unrelenting clients who don’t follow through during payment times

How The Union Can Help You Get Paid Faster

For the self-employed workers who aren’t fortunate enough to be able to extract money out of clients on time, the union could help prompt those clients into quicker action. You may not have enough support on your own, but with the force of a union behind you, there’s increased credibility to your claims.

The union does this by:

• Helping you set up a contract with your clients that establishes the terms of payment
• Releasing e-guides that offer valuable insights into making clients pay faster
• Guiding you on how to file a claim in accordance with the Office of Labor
• Helping you craft proficient invoices that urge clients to pay up promptly

How Invoicing Software Can Prevent Late Payments Altogether

Efficiently constructed invoices can help urge clients into prompt payments. Invoicing software can offer a time-efficient and reliable solution to handling billing. Here’s how:

• Digitizing your billing requirements will make the process a lot quicker. For those that are self- employed, time is invaluable, and automating your accounting and invoicing process can save you from the hassle
• Invoicing software is designed to professionally quote important accounting and other details before sending them out to the client. Workers will be informed of the quote’s acceptance or rejection
• Professional invoices add to a servicer’s validity status and can urge clients into swift action. Using billing software can take you a step closer to that validation 

Conclusion

A significantly greater percentage of freelancers recognize their need for an ethical and legal benchmark that can counter the disadvantages they face as self-employed contractors. Fortunately, Freelancers Union is a place to find your fellow freelancers and leverage those connections to navigate professional needs. 

With today’s economic uncertainty, you have more of a reason than ever to substitute this solo fight with a team effort to achieve the very best results possible.