People are going to think that all temps are pussies

I have been avoiding commenting on this article for a while simply because commenting will only depress me. I know a number of the people involved, the gripes raised are universal in Temp Town, and the resolution is typically unsatisfactory. So here it is:

An agency in town advertised a project at $27 per hour, 80 hours per week, roughly 6 weeks. Rate low, hours high, don't see that many overtime projects these days. A lot of people took it. Problem for the agency, though -- not enough took it because of the rate, apparently, and they needed about 150 people to get it done in the required time frame. So they upped the rate to $29 per hour. I assume they did so for the people who started at $27, but I have been in this business long enough to know that is not a given.

In any event, they packed the folks in there. I am very familiar with the facility -- 150 people in that space (and I know they have other projects that add a few to that number) is a strain. Sure enough, somebody complained, only they sent the email not just to agency management, but to a website called Above The Law. That site actually doesn't talk about temps all that much, but it does from time to time, and it published the email complaints sent to the agency. The first dealt with the changing hours:

Mr. [Redacted],I just saw your email. First of all, thank you for taking time to send us the note. I am afraid, however, the time rules as explained in your email greatly discourage us. Above all, we are frustrated that Compliance’s time rules in this project keep changing. To clarify my understanding, are you saying that if we work 10 hours a day, we should subtract one (1) hour, billing only 9.5 hours? Then, this would be completely different from what we have been told and understood. We were told before that “If [we] plan to work for the entire window of 8:00am-8:00pm [we] must take a 1 hour break for the day and bill a maxim of 11 hours.”…Many of us already feel extremely dispirited, discouraged, and tired by the extremely crowded working conditions as well as the low rate. (I suggest that you personally check the kitchen and bathroom conditions during the day, if you haven’t yet.) I respectfully request that you reconsider your time rules. We are human, and we do this work for our living. Thank you.

First of all, complaining about how much break time is required is stupid. That is dictated by District law. Different firms interpret it differently, but the basic application is a quarter hour for every four hours worked. Live with it. Second, you're complaining because the hours for the project aren't what the agency originally said they would be? Seriously? Do you not know Rule No. 1? Dude, they're lying. Get over it. They can change the hours whenever and however they want.  I guess life sucks. Perhaps you'd be happier if they changed it to a straight 40-hour project. Shut up.

The whiner then goes on to complain about the working conditions:

Is the garage entrance compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act? It seems dangerous to have to walk down a steep ramp as well. Since weekend work is now required and the lobby is closed it seems a necessary element.Second, many of us relied (now) to our detriment in taking this project based on the assurances we received that it would be 80 total hours with an “open” time window. Your material changes are substantial and could be several thousand dollars for each of us by the end of this project. Considering that Tower and Law Resources are paying it’s employees at Arnold and Porter $32 per hour, on this same case, it’s clearly a bait and switch employment tactic typical with agencies these days.If Crowell wants to take on that potential legal liability, ok, that’s their decision.Third, if you think that we won’t jump just because the market is “slow,” keep in mind many of us jumped other projects to come here. We all know that’s the nature of the beast. We can do it again.Lastly, many of us have solid work ethics. So, does Crowell allow it’s own attorneys to work more than 9.75 hours requiring a 1 hr break, or more than 11.0 hours in a day? Seems hypocritical doesn’t it?Sincerely,The Group of 175+ AttorneysP.S., you’re out of coffee again

 I don't even know where to begin with this fucker. Maybe I should just call a waaaaaaaaa-ambulance. Seriously, the garage entrance? Like the agency has any control over that? And if other agencies are paying more for this gig, and you didn't manage to get on with one of those agencies, your complaint is what? You took the gig at the advertised rate, knowing that hours change to suit the needs of the firm and the agency. Mostly the firm -- the agency wants you to get as many hours as possible, since that's how they make money. You don't like it? Jump. Don't threaten, fuck face, everybody knows people jump. So you don't like it? Jump. Let me know which high-paying 77-hour project you jumped to you stupid fuck, because there aren't any out there. Nobody thinks a threat to jump to the 40-hour shit out there is serious. You jumped to what you thought was an 80-hour project because that sounded pretty good despite the $27/hour rate. Does anyone believe you will jump after you got a bump to $29/hour but a cut from 80 hours to 77? Yeah, suck me, pal.

And don't even try to compare yourself to the associates at the firm. Those guys are a fixed cost, since they're on salary, whereas you are a liability. You might me willing to work longer, but that does not guarantee productivity. For associates at the firm, it is produce or become eligible for the contract attorney pool. There is no comparison. So shut the fuck up.

Finally -- "you're out of coffee again." Wow. I know for a fact there's a Caribou Coffee across the street and probably three Starbucks a block away. Go fucking buy some coffee and shut the fuck up. What makes you think you're entitled to anything? The Above The Law post that featured your emails focused on how tough it is to be a temp, but your emails make it clear that temps -- or at least you -- don't understand the legal market as it stands today. Of course the hours aren't as advertised -- they change to fit the needs of the client, not to fit the needs of the temp. Of course the working conditions are horrific -- the agency is trying ti stuff the number of attorneys the firm wants into the space the agency has. And of course the agency is out of coffee. They have too many people on site for their standing coffee order, and nobody thought about increasing the standing order, because they know that no one will jump because there isn't any free coffee. So go across the street, buy some coffee, and either shut the fuck up or go get a real job. You're embarrassing me.