Up to 2,000 workers at the General Dynamics Information Technology Call Center in Hattiesburg stand to see a substantial increase in pay if the U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division rules in favor of a complaint filed by the Communications Workers of America.
The Hattiesburg workers, according to the union, could see their wages increased by $3,682 to $6,572 a year, in addition to future pay at a higher rate.
The complaint contends that the workers were unfairly classified at a wage level lower than justified.
The Hattiesburg workers are among 10,000 at 11 call centers who assist the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services and who, if the federal agency affirms the complaint, would get up to $100 million in back wages.
The union does not have a contract with General Dynamics. A spokesman for the employer was quoted in The New York Times as saying in an email that “we value our people and the work that they perform†and will work with the federal agency and others to resolve the issue.