Image: Natalie Monarrez
On the Clock is Motherboard's reporting on the organized labor movement, gig work, automation, and the future of work.
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Monarrez keeps a couple suitcases and a cooler for food and water in her car. The rest of her belongings are stowed in a storage unit near JFK8. At night she curls up in the backseat of her car and scrolls on her phone. In the winter, she's in a sleeping bag. In the summer, under a single sheet. The sound of Amazon security guards patrolling the parking lot and the bright overhead lights are both comforting and a cause of stress that her cover could be blown. "After being questioned by reporters again and again about whether I can afford rent, I've decided to speak up," she said. "Jeff Bezos has no idea that his workers are homeless, especially in New York, and I'm not the only one. I'm hoping executives will agree to pay workers more and that they know older workers have the right to be promoted like everyone else."An Amazon spokesperson acknowledged a request for comment and a deadline provided to them by Motherboard but did not provide a comment.Do you have a tip to share with us about Amazon workers who can’t find affordable housing? Please get in touch with Lauren, the reporter, via email Lauren.gurley@vice.com or on Signal 201-897-2109.