Chester Maximus workers strike: Demand better wages, healthcare, working conditions

CHESTER — Call center workers at Maximus, the federal government’s largest call center contractor, gathered outside the local Maximus call center in Chester for a one-day strike to draw attention to workers' needs. It was the second strike this year.

During the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period, which started Nov. 1, hundreds of call center workers across the South walked off the job to demand Maximus provide affordable healthcare, livable wages and to protest unfair labor practices. On Thursday, November 9, Maximus workers also went on strike at the following call center locations: Hattiesburg, Miss., Bogalusa, La., Phoenix, Ariz., London, Ky. and Tampa, Fla.

Representatives from Richmond-based Democratic Socialists of America, Virginia Defenders (Virginia Indigent Defense Commission) and United Campus Workers of Virginia (Communication Workers of America (CWA) VA Local 2265) were present to support the Chester Maximus strikers.

"We're here today to help the Maximus workers get what they deserve: higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions," Sheila Sawyer Reed, organizer with CWA, said.

"We are on strike for better pay, health insurance, benefits and the respect we deserve for lining their pockets," Barbara Westbrook, a Chester Maximus employee who handles calls for the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, said.

Cathleen Carrizal, a Tier II customer service representative employed by Chester Maximus for two years, went Facebook Live with me. She shared why she opted to strike and explains why she and her coworkers deserve better pay. She wants $25 an hour and feels strongly that she earns it.

"I get six minutes to go to the restroom in an 8, 10 or 12-hour shift. That's not right. I'm an adult and should be able to get up and go as we need," Carrizal said. "I deserve more money from the calls that I get and better health care. It's a little bit of expensive out of my pocket, and I'm wanting more money because I'm not able to afford it out here by myself much less my fellow workers who have families."

Carrizal believes living paycheck to paycheck is not fair. "I put in my best... 100%... and I'm not getting back. That's not fair to me or my fellow workers. We come and we're faithful, and I think we deserve it."

Maximus strike: Workers' complaints, demands revealed

Maximus operates a dozen call centers handling millions of calls from consumers about the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, as well as the CDC-INFO line, as part of a $6.6 billion, nine-year contract.

Workers want "a living wage of at least $25 per hour and the ability to organize their union free from employer intimidation," according to the press release. The release refers to a report that shows a majority of Maximus workers rely on safety-net programs to make ends meet.

"91% of Maximus workers report earning significantly less than the living wage needed to sustain a household with children in the areas where they live and work," according to the release.

Workers like Carrizal who spoke to The Progress-Index told their personal stories of struggle.

Maximus has been accused of various unfair labor practices. Region 15 of the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] issued a complaint against Maximus for interfering with employee labor rights by summoning the police to stop employees from distributing information about the Union to coworkers. Maximus agreed to a settlement of this charge shortly after it was issued, according to the press release. Additional charges regarding Maximus’s actions are currently pending, including retaliatory layoffs.

On the heels of Biden’s support of striking United Auto Workers, CWA says that the President must do the right thing and stand up for the workforce his own administration employs through a multi-billion dollar contract with Maximus.

Chester Maximus worker Will Magnant paused his picketing for a moment to say, "We're hoping the federal government puts pressure on the owner of Maximus to do the right thing."

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— Kristi K. Higgins aka The Social Butterfly, an award-winning columnist, is the trending topics and food Q&A reporter at The Progress-Index voted the 2022 Tri-Cities Best of the Best Social Media Personality. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Contact Kristi (she, her) at khiggins@progress-index.com, follow @KHiggins_PI on Twitter @socialbutterflykristi on Instagram.

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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Maximus strike: Workers demand respect, better wages and benefits