The Unite Here! union filed a complaint Tuesday with the federal Department of Labor, alleging that a large laundry company with a facility in Vista has routinely underpaid employees, according to a news release.

The union, saying it represents hundreds of laundry workers, claims in its complaint filed in San Francisco that Prudential Overall Supply based in Irvine did not pay workers prevailing wages and benefits in as many as seven facilities in California and Arizona.

A call to the Vista facility for comment, after hours, was not answered.

Unite alleges that Prudential violated the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act, which covers employees who work for government contractors. The union stated that the Vista facility launders uniforms, towels and floor mats for the Marine Corps.

The act requires federal contractors to pay service employees no less than the prevailing wages and benefits in the area, or the rates contained in a predecessor contractor's collective bargaining agreement, according to the Department of Labor Web site.