Nobody's forced. Have you ever worked freelance? It's hard work and amazingly competitive. Having struggled in the freelance world for years, this is a breath of fresh air. I've been paid more per article, but the parameters were set, I had to fit that box and the jobs are still hard to get.
If you want to freelance, then go find freelance jobs. Then you get paid as soon as the job is complete and can move on. The terms of Steemit are clear before anyone puts pen to paper. It's pretty strange that someone would jump in and start crying foul. Take what's offered and help build it to its potential, or find something that fits your vision better.