August 19, 2009

Canvassing

Members and staff clad in red Freelancers Union t-shirts went door-to-door in Brooklyn for Brad Lander, City Council candidate running in the 39th District and in Queens for Jimmy Van Bramer, City Council candidate running in the 26th District.

August 13, 2009

Debate and Canvassing

Members and staff demonstrated support for Freelancers Union’s endorsed City Council candidates by attending a debate in Manhattan for Christine Quinn (3rd District) and by canvassing in Brooklyn for Brad Lander (39th District) and in Queens for Jimmy Van Bramer (26th District). Volunteers finished up the night with a cold brew for their efforts.

July 29, 2009

Comptroller and Public Advocate Event

Candidates running for New York City Comptroller and Public Advocate attended an event to make their case for Freelancers Union’s endorsement, discussing how they will develop solutions to the challenges that independent workers face.

July 22-27, 2009

City Council Candidate Interviews

As part of our endorsement process, Freelancers Union members and staff interviewed over 60 candidates running for the New York City Council, asking candidates about issues ranging from collecting unpaid wages to ensuring fair taxation.

June 3, 2009

Albany Lobby Day for UBT Legislation

Freelancers Union members and staff traveled up to Albany, where they met with dozens of New York State Assembly Members and Senators to support legislation to exempt freelancers earning under $100,000 from having to pay the Unincorporated Business Tax (UBT), with a partial tax credit for those earning up to $150,000. The lobby day proved to be a success, and we garnered more co-sponsors for both the Assembly and Senate bills.

April 28, 2009

NYC Council Hearing on the UBT

The New York City Council’s Committee on Small Business held a public hearing, “The Effect of the Unincorporated Business Tax on Small Businesses and Sole Proprietors.” Over 75 Freelancers Union members attended the hearing, listening to testimony from government officials; business leaders; and independent workers. Freelancers Union’s Executive Director Sara Horowitz, along with 4 members, spoke about the effects of this unfair tax on the City’s vital freelance workforce.

April 16, 2009

Unemployment Webinar

Graduate students from Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy presented proposals for unemployment protection programs for freelancers during a webinar with members. Different proposals that were presented were a refundable tax credit, pretax savings, and matched savings.

March 26 and April 1, 2009

Advocacy Focus Groups

Members provided input into what motivates them to get involved in advocacy activities and shared their views on what communications were the most appealing to them during two different focus groups. Freelancers Union staff will be implementing these ideas in the launch of our Political Action Committee and for campaigns moving forward.

>March 23, 2009

Economic Club Event

Freelancers Union Executive Director Sara Horowitz and members of the organization participated in an event at New York City’s Economic Club with Mayor Bloomberg, where he outlined plans to “start leveling the playing field for freelancers.” The Mayor announced that he would work with Freelancers Union to develop a federal unemployment protection program and to exempt sole proprietors from paying the City’s Unincorporated Business Tax (UBT). Read more about the event.

March 18, 2009

Unemployment Working Group Meeting

Member volunteers met with Freelancers Union policy staff to discuss their ideas for creating an unemployment protection program for freelancers. The group analyzed different tax incentive models that the program could be shaped around, weighing attributes like flexible access to the funds and the amount of return. 

February 18, 2009

Cocktails for a Cause

Nearly 100 New Yorkers attended Freelancers Union’s Cocktails for a Cause event, in which we organized around two of our campaigns: exempting sole proprietors working in New York City from paying the Unincorporated Business Tax (UBT), and, on the national level, creating an unemployment protection program for independent workers. During the event, members filled out postcards to their legislators, urging them to repeal the UBT for sole proprietors. Read more on our blog.

January 12, 2009

Health Care Reform Community Discussion

Freelancers Union member volunteers participated in the Obama-Biden Transition Project, Health Care Reform Community Discussion at New York’s City Hall, hosted by the New York City Council. City Council members, along with representatives from various labor and nonprofit community organizations, filled the Committee Room. Members shared their experiences in accessing health insurance and the difficulties they face being self-employed in a country where benefits are often tied to employers.

Read more about our past activities.