So I have a buddy, who in the interest of anonymity, I will give very little details about. But basically he told me today that he is working with a company at his work that has been contracted to build an apartment complex for who he believes to be Amazon.
It seems like this apartment complex is going to be for the sole purpose of housing Amazon employees. In official documentation, the project refers to the complex as "Workforce Level Housing" and is a few blocks away from a new Amazon distribution center. This information is classified, likely in the interest of protecting Amazon from the bad press they know they would get. Here are a few descriptors of the amenities he told me Amazon employees can look forward to after long days of manual labor packing boxes on the assembly line.
- Average Square Footage - 590 ft (This isn't even a major city)
- Exclusively 1BR Apartments
- No Swimming Pool
- No workout space
They're calling this place "Thrive" lol. I'm honestly not quite sure what to make of it. I have never even heard of this concept. It seems like Amazon believes it is in their best interest to be able to control the housing of their employees in addition to every other aspect of their lives. Fail a drug test? Late to work? Didn't meet your productivity goals? Well I guess you don't have healthcare or a place to live. Good luck. I swear to god, it's like they actually want people to blow their brains out.
Edit: Followed up with my friend. They've been told this housing is for Amazon employees and they are building multiple throughout the state all near distribution centers. They might not have direct ownership, but they are definitely involved.
Getting all your warehouse workers to go back to the same housing block after their shift might result in them getting to know each other and building class consciousness and solidarity. Perhaps the unquenchable thirst for vertical integration contains the mechanisms for its own undoing.
They'll probably institute some system where they penalize you if you socialize too much
TP is wafer-thin, your wages are garnished if you shower too long. The faucet is even more pathetic than the ones in an airplane lavatory. It is in such a position that it is physically impossible to wash your hands without squishing them against the sink. You are allocated 30 seconds of free water for handwashing per day, and 1 dollar per second afterwards. The lights are as dim as possible to save money, you will need to pay $9.99 a month to unlock the option to brighten them. You may only read books approved by Bezos himself, a periodic inspection of your apartment will be carried out to ensure compliance. All books must be rented for $3 a day. You are not allowed to possess more than a single book at any one moment. Prime Video is the only form of entertainment permitted, the TV (a special addition you can have for another $9.99 a month) cannot be connected to any personal devices. You will need to be a Prime member like everyone else. As regards to electricity usage, there is only one outlet. It may only be used for charging personal devices. It can be enabled by paying a $5 fee each time you wish to use it. On top of the initial fee, you will need to pay an additional fee of 10 cents per percent charged. You may only possess one personal device at any one moment.
The lack of common areas OP describes sound like part of that.
Wow I came to comment company towns with a link to some Tennessee Ernie Ford this is the 3rd time today I've been beat to the comments
capitalism be innovating (by reinventing things that have already existed)
You ship 16 tons and what do you get?
Another day older and Deeper in Debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the Amazon store
just watched it last night after listening to the bad faith pod interview with boots riley. i've been seeing it everywhere since listening to that interview. so good
Ayy we’re bringing back Blair Mountain-style company housing. Next the employees will be paid in scripts to use at the company store.
Exchanging your life savings for Bezosbux is a prerequisite for employment.
I seem to recall amazon getting into legal trouble for offering amazon gift cards as bonuses.
If amazon could pay people in scrip, they would.
I know someone that left their job to work at a self storage facility that pays shit wages but provides you with an apartment as part of compensation.
There's always the funeral home night shift job. Traditionally includes an apartment on site so someone is always there to accept bodies.
why is amazon building 1brs when I can't find an affordable 1br within 60 miles of where I'm living rn to save my life -- am I going to have to work at amazon to live alone and not with roommates
lmao completely fair. 1br just means "we will gladly evict you when we find out you're a single parent living in a 1br with your 10yo"
I understand if you/your friend can't share but is there anything else that suggests it's Amazon owned besides its location? "Workforce Level Housing" is a common term, and it is possible it's a shithead landlord/developer accurately predicting a need for this housing, but I would not be surprised at all if Amazon is getting into real estate
I'll definitely ask him, but you could be right. The fact that it's classified is what raised his suspicions. The actual name is half classified. Thrive Communities of _______
Followed up with my buddy. They’ve been told this housing is for Amazon employees and they are building multiple throughout the state all near distribution centers. They might not have direct ownership, but they are definitely involved.
You pay rent and utilities through an additional fee on Amazon Prime 👀
Isn't this literally what the Amazon proxy (WorryFree) in Sorry To Bother You does?
Yep, hopefully it results in actually less alienation. I can't thing of a better way to radicalize workers than agitating in a place where everyone experiences the exact same oppression in the exact same way.
