"New mutualism" at the Freelancers Union.

"[N]ew mutualism is based on a simple premise: freelancers should band together to set up social-purpose institutions to serve their mutual needs."

The Freelancers Union, with its oxymoronic name, is a motley collection of workers in the fast-evolving freelance economy — whether lawyers, software developers, graphic artists, accountants, consultants, nannies, writers, editors, Web site designers or sellers on Etsy....

The Freelancers Union... doesn’t bargain with employers, but it does address what is by far these workers’ No. 1 concern, by providing them with affordable health insurance.