Last month, the organization started a site to solicit outstanding bills from web developers, app designers, SEO consultants, and every other manner of contractual helper. (Sadly, it looks like the  $2,012.00 entry for  "dildo polishing," has since been eliminated.) The grand total, which started at around $4 million, is already up to $15.9 million. And members are taking a print out with them upstate to "unfurl" down the steps at 2.15 pm.

The stunt is part of an attempt to get the State Senate to pass The Freelancer Payment Protection Act (S4129/A6698), an unprecedented bill that would, "finally give independent workers- 1/3rd of the U.S. workforce- Department of Labor protections when companies refuse to pay them," says the Union. Fulltime workers are protected by the DOL, but independent workers, who are stiffed an average of $4,600 a year, have two options: suing or walking away.

The bill passed the Assembly last June and has 24 sponsors in the Senate (seven Republicans, 17 Democrats), but is still being considered by the Labor committee.

"For the last several years, the struggling and transitioning economy has forced more and more New Yorkers to become freelancers in order to earn a living, pay their bills, and raise their families," Speaker Sheldon Silver, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement, "It is disturbing that so many of them are not receiving payment for their work."

Better hope whoever had to stand by the copier and staple together this miles-long invoice is promptly compensated  . . . or else!

The World's Longest Invoice, created by the Freelancer's Union, debuted earlier today so freelancers can enter their unpaid invoices via a simple online form. The alleged unpaid bills amount to more than $4 million (though that includes one entry for a $2,012.00 "dildo polishing" which is possibly fake—though possibly not).

As of now, the list includes 114 entries for web and app design, web development, hosting and email templates, as well as many more entries for graphic design, including one entry for $52,000 of graphic design. For Rails development, Jesse C. said he was stiffed $1,848.00. For IT consulting, Eric reportedly missed out on $1,950. In addition, Businessweek found one Long Island developer who is still owed $45,000. The takeaway? These folks are giving their services away. Post a Craigslist ad, stet, and don't pay.

Just kidding, you terrible people. Web-related services rendered some of the highest rates on the symbolic invoice, which the Union plans to take to state lawmakers on May 22 to lobby for a proposal, the Freelancer Payment Protection Act, that would let freelancers file complaints with the New York State Labor Department.

The Union claims 175,000 members nationwide and says 15,525 of those identify their profession as being in information technology or the Internet; however, 60 percent of members identify their industry as "other," so that could include some web workers, a representative from the Union told Betabeat.

We have to wonder if the list might have a bit more bite if the Union required clients to name names, like the now-defunct Tumblr iwasntpaid.com. While waiting for justice, those who have been swindled can leave a review on the Union's client scorecard.