Federal Court Denies Attempt by Pulte Homes Inc. to Silence Working People Who Spoke Up for Construction Workers Dismissed by the Homebuilder

Washington, DC (September 24, 2009) – A U.S. District Court today denied Pulte Homes’ request for an injunction to stop LIUNA members from supporting construction workers for the nation’s largest homebuilder, who were fired by Pulte after wearing LIUNA orange t-shirts and asking to be paid for the hours they worked.

Pulte filed requests for a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction after nearly 20,000 LIUNA members across North America fought back on behalf of the fired workers by calling and writing Pulte offices. The efforts of LIUNA members were also supported with radio ads in Michigan, where Pulte is headquartered. The District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruled the law prohibits the court from stopping LIUNA’s “efforts to give publicity to this dispute and have others act in support” of the workers.

“The nation’s largest homebuilding corporation tried to stop working people from uniting and standing up for their fellow workers, just like they’ve tried to stop their own employees from joining together in a union,” said LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan. “This is America and Pulte can’t do that.”

Pulte workers allege that they are cheated out of wages, a practice that is too common in the residential construction industry. Residential construction workers say, that in order to increase profits, many corporate homebuilders and their subcontractors routinely fail to pay overtime wages, falsify workers’ timesheets and require workers to be at work without pay while traveling between jobsites and while materials were being delivered.

Charges alleging Pulte violated the law when they fired the workers have been filed with the National Labor Relations Board. Seven workers wearing LIUNA’s trademark orange shirts and appealing for their pay were told to leave on Sept. 2. Following the outpouring of support from LIUNA members five of the workers were put back on the job, but two have not been rehired.