The other example from the article was nursing. Nursing is in huge demand. That woman most certainly had other options.

I worked in Europe. My contract said my company had to give me 3 months notice before quitting.

And I had to give 3 months notice before quitting. If I didn't, I had to pay the company the equivalent of 1 months salary for each month of notice I didn't give. So if I just up and quit, I'd have to pay 3 months salary.

Was I a "indentured servant" too?

That's pretty crazy. So if you apply to a new job you have to tell them: "I can start 3 months from now, no sooner"?

Edit:

This kind of clause seems so counter-productive to the employer. If I was forced to give 3 months notice, I'd be checked out for 2/3+ of that time. What are they going to do? Fire me?

So yeah, when you get a new job you either tell your new employer to wait or you get them to pay off your current contract.

Part of the problem is the people creating the contracts are perfectly willing to place the burden on existing nurses and allow patients to suffer. Even when already short staffed, hospitals are not under much pressure to renegotiate a contract.