Labor Ready, Labor Finders, Able Body Labor (employment, apply, temporary)

[heeha]

Anyone on here ever work for one of the following employment agencies:
Labor Ready
Labor Finders
Able Body Labor

If so, did you enjoy your job?

[thedwightguy]

in Tacoma, no less. Figures.
On call or day labour started in the early eighties (formally, anyway) in an American economy that was starting to really boom and needed a lot of bodies. In THEORY, it's like a hide-a-bed; a great idea in theory and a disaster in practice.

You have a short term large order, so you split your experienced people in manuf. into two shifts, call in a few bodies, and rock until the order is complete. The bodies then move on, and you're back to normal.

In 1997 I wrapped a business and was actually the first industrial reg. worker for a tremendous personnel company named Drake. Had a ball; different companies, different things to do; if it had paid a few dollars more I'd have considered it a career.

Then, of course, someone had to spoil the fun. Along came low ball outfits like L. Unsteady, WorkFarce, and ran the idea into the gutter, dragging us all in with everyone else. I've enough to right a book. Temporary labour is designed for a hot economy but it's now used as a union buster and keeps wages low, and lower.
And that's everywhere.

[jmellc]

I see this is old but still inviting comment.

My brother worked for Manpower in the 70’s. They were among the big players here in central NC. I went to them in 1983 & they kept me busy cleaning construction sites and working in offices. They were a great company & helped me bridge a huge gap. My last assignment turned into a permanent job.

I worked for contractors that used temps from Labor Ready & I used a few from there when I had a contracting business. Some were good workers, some mediocre. I sent my daughter there when she was needing work & they were atrocious. Said they had her come in about 4 in the morning & wait in line for assignments they may not get. When assignments ran out, they were sent home. So maybe wait there 3 or 4 hours & get no work. She applied to another firm that made her apply online. Website kept crashing & she called about it. They said it happened a lot but they couldn’t help her any other way. Some service.

Seems like the temp business has hit the skids for sure. Manpower is still around but not very high profile. Other big players here used to be Western, Kelly & Olsten. I don’t know if any of them are still alive at all. Part of that is that office jobs are not nearly as plentiful any more.

[Disgustedman]

Knew a few guys who were worked for labor ready. Paid using their debit card. Hours not correct, sometimes overtime, sometimes no work. Usually min wage and back breaking labor. The armpit, or crotch of labor services.

There's way better options.

[jimwen]

I worked for Labor Ready back in the late 1980's when I was in college. I worked 1-2 weeks/month, mostly when I was out of money. It was usually minimum wage, filthy and hard work. The only good thing about the old labor pool jobs was that you got paid every day or every week. When you are broke, it helps. But the work sucks. There were people who did that as a career and were trapped in lousy, min wage jobs. I felt sorry for them. I wouldn't go near a job like that now.

[JA22]

When I first moved to New Hampshire, I used Labor Ready to kickstart my residency.
The worst part of working for temp agencies is that they force you to work with drug addicts
and people from the halfway house.
I have records of what happened while I was working for these agencies.
Now that J.R. Hoell has experienced firsthand how bad the situation is in this state,
maybe he would be willing to talk to me about what I have documented
about the systems in this state.

[bobsell]

I worked for Labor Ready and worked 2 weeks. Minimum wage data entry job. Only took it because I was desperate at the time.

The worst part was getting there at 5-6 am and waiting around for hours to see if they actually have a job for you. Couldn't go home and sleep or wait at home. If you didn't have a job by 10am, go home. If you were not there by 6 am and waiting around like a decoration, they wouldn't bother finding you a job.

Car washes in the area tended to be the #1 place wanting the temporary labor. This was during the winter, who wants to work in a car wash? Freezing cold!

[artillery77]

Bumping because I'm curious if these business models still exist in this day and age of labor shortages.

[joe from dayton]

There is one about 3 blocks from my building. My employer has used them occasionally when they need extra people to do low skill jobs for a couple of days.

[artillery77]

Wow....I wonder if people will just go on their days off to moonlight? There's so many jobs now...albeit it's slowing down a bit.