Myths and Facts

A number of offensive and false claims have been made against PulteGroup by LiUNA and others. In order to set the record straight, we have addressed those issues head on. Click on any of the twelve myths below to read our response.

--  "Pulte's settlement with the State of Arizona proves that the Company misled borrowers."

-- "Pulte Homes is a fiscally and socially irresponsible company focused on profits rather than people."

-- "LiUNA is standing up for working people."

-- "A survey of Pulte homeowners in Arizona, Nevada and California reveals that most are ‘dissatisfied with their homes and frustrated by [Pulte Homes’] response to their issues."

-- "Workers contracted by Pulte Homes complain of unpaid wages and overtime, pressure to work through break periods and bypass safety precautions, sexual harassment and discrimination while on the job."

-- "Pulte Homes' poor treatment of pro-union workers proves the company is opposed to unionization."

--"Pulte Homes fired seven workers in Tucson, Arizona, for expressing their support of unions and unionization."

-- "Pulte Homes refuses to engage in conversation with union officials."

-- "Pulte Homes refuses to employ union workers."

-- "Legal union protests have been met with vicious attacks by Pulte Homes."

-- "Pulte Homes’ deplorable customer service has led numerous groups to wage battle against the homebuilder in order to protect customers and potential homebuyers."

-- "The limited warranty offered to Pulte Homes' homeowners has numerous restrictions, making construction repairs difficult to obtain."

-- "Pulte Homes’ rapidly increasing and risky mortgage originations produced catastrophic economic consequences for homeowners and our economy."

Myth: “Pulte's settlement with the State of Arizona proves that the Company misled borrowers.”

FACT:

This is false.  Pulte cooperated fully and responsibly with the Arizona Attorney General's Office to address their questions, including supplying more than 70,000 pages of information and participating in multiple meetings.  From this volume of information and its nearly 10-month investigation, the Arizona Attorney General's Office found only 10 valid complaints, representing less than one tenth of one percent of the mortgages Pulte originated in the State during the period of 2004 through 2009.  While even one unhappy customer is one too many, given the extensive nature of the State's investigation, the fact that only 10 valid complaints were surfaced confirms that, on the whole, Pulte is and has been doing business the right way.  In addition, the agreement makes it clear that no finding of liability or wrongdoing occurred, and the State commended Pulte for its commitment to bringing more transparency to home-buying and financing.

Myth: “PulteGroup is a fiscally and socially irresponsible company focused on profits rather than people.”

FACT:

PulteGroup's most valuable assets are its employees and the people who build our homes. We work hard to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity. Employees across the nation work to build better communities and to better the world through volunteer and charitable giving efforts, demonstrating the family-based, people-oriented values on which PulteGroup was built. In addition, PulteGroup donates over $1.6 million per year in charitable contributions and in-kind services.

Myth: “LiUNA is standing up for working people.”

FACT:

LiUNA is simply trying to recruit new members to replace the more than one hundred thousand members they’ve lost in recent years. That’s what LiUNA’s years-long “corporate campaign” against PulteGroup and the homebuilding industry is all about. Because we are the largest company in our industry, LiUNA has decided to make PulteGroup their primary target. Ultimately, though they claim to be champions of our employees and our homeowners, LiUNA’s misdirected plan is designed to coerce PulteGroup to force our trade partners to sign agreements with the union.

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Myth: “A survey of PulteGroup homeowners in Arizona, Nevada and California reveals that most are ‘dissatisfied with their homes and frustrated by [PulteGroup's] response to their issues.”

FACT:

According to the independent and industry standard JD Power and Associates survey, PulteGroup customers have consistently been among the most satisfied in the industry. For more information,please click here. The so-called “survey” to which LiUNA refers was deliberately distorted by a labor front organization known as “Building Justice.” An independent research firm named Chadwick Martin Bailey examined this survey and concluded that it contained biases “that would never be found in a legitimate survey.” The expert went on to state: “Given the extent of the deviation from acceptable practices, it is safe to conclude that the survey lacks validity to support any of the claimed results.”

Myth: “Workers contracted by PulteGroup complain of unpaid wages and overtime, pressure to work through break periods and bypass safety precautions, sexual harassment and discrimination while on the job.”

FACT:

This is totally against everything we stand for. We require that all job sites adhere to state and federal safety and employment standards to ensure that our homes are built by fairly treated and satisfied workers. We expect our trade partners to adhere to our specific contract requirements regarding those matters.

Myth: “PulteGroup's poor treatment of pro-union workers proves the company is opposed to unionization.”

FACT:

That is absolutely untrue. We believe all workers should have the right to fairly decide whether or not they want to be represented by a union. In fact, in many areas PulteGroup works with union employees.

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Myth: “PulteGroup fired seven workers in Tucson, Arizona, for expressing their support of unions and unionization.”

FACT:

This is false and further evidence that LiUNA is deliberately misrepresenting the facts about our hard working employees. The truth of the matter is one employee, a supervisor, was fired for violating company policies, including disregarding safety rules. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) agreed that the termination of the supervisor did not violate labor law. Not a single one of the remaining six employees referenced in LiUNA’s claim were fired by the company.

Myth: “PulteGroup refuses to engage in conversation with union officials.”

FACT:

LiUNA’s dishonest intimidation campaign has included frightening acts of harassment and the dissemination of untruths about PulteGroup. PulteGroup has requested facts and information from LiUNA on numerous occasions so PulteGroup can fully investigate LiUNA’s claims. Unfortunately, the union and their allies have refused to provide the information requested. As long as they choose to attack PulteGroup with misguided and dishonest allegations and threaten our employees, the company will not meet with them.

Myth: “PulteGroup refuses to employ union workers.”

FACT:

In many areas, PulteGroup works with union employees.

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Myth: “Legal union protests have been met with vicious attacks by PulteGroup.”

FACT:

If LiUNA is concerned about vicious attacks, they should begin by explaining and then repudiating their recent actions in St. Louis where they assaulted our employees and damaged private property. For more information, please click here.

Myth: “PulteGroup’s deplorable customer service has led numerous groups to wage battle against the homebuilder in order to protect customers and potential homebuyers.”

FACT:

Our customer service has been recognized time and again for being among the best in the industry. In fact, 90% of our customers remain extremely satisfied with their home one year after purchasing it. As part of their misinformation campaign, LiUNA and other unions have created front groups in an attempt to make their efforts appear like something more credible than what it is: a corporate campaign. These front groups go by the names “Alliance for Homebuyer Justice,” “Building Justice,” “Poorly Built by Pulte,” and “Interfaith Worker Justice.” They are nothing more than a loose collaboration between LiUNA and other unions sympathetic to their cause that spread misinformation about our company.

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Myth: “The limited warranty offered to PulteGroup's homeowners has numerous restrictions, making construction repairs difficult to obtain.”

FACT:

Our commitment to delighting our customers with their new homes is why we are consistently ranked highest for customer satisfaction. We want our customers to be as confident about purchasing and living in their homes as we are about building them. Peace of mind — that’s exactly why we offer a warranty that is among the best in the industry and work hard to provide timely and complete responses to warranty requests.

Myth: “PulteGroup’s rapidly increasing and risky mortgage originations produced catastrophic economic consequences for homeowners and our economy.”

FACT:

Similar to LiUNA’s other “stories,” the facts completely contradict this myth. PulteGroups share of the U.S. housing market is 0.5%. During the height of the mortgage market (2004-2006), the number of mortgages PulteGroup originated was less than one-tenth of one percent of the total mortgage market and 97% of our mortgage originations were considered prime. To even suggest that PulteGroup could have any influence on the market, let alone cause a global financial crisis, demonstrates the extremes to which LiUNA will go to twist the truth.

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