Freelancers definitely have the hardest time getting paid for their work

Free people can earn more than the union bosses allow, and a good worker is worth more.

The problem is that the clients of freelancers more often than not, refuse to pay after doing thankless hours of hard work. Labor laws only apply to actual employees of companies and not freelancers, if you're a freelancer, you're on your own. Another thing about freelancers is that they don't have stable work and it's only a per gig basis that they get work and a gig is really not a guarantee. Being in a dead end minimum wage may suck but at least minimum wage workers have hours on a regular basis and are protected by the government that mandates their employer to pat them. Government can't force a freelancer's client to pay and it's basically purely between the client and the freelancer and the freelancer also can't force their clients to pay.

Yup. That is why I stopped being a freelancer. Too many people trying to take advantage of you and go cheap. I was like "great, you have someone else who will do it for less! Good luck, nice knowing you.".

Would you say this is more or less how it was like: imgflip.com/i/871q23

I never did any work unless they agreed to my charges and paid me some up front.