A carpenters union representative Wednesday joined two Northbridge women picketing for the third time outside the Legacy Farms development off East Main Street.
Judi Uthoff and Pat Schmitt, who live at the Fairway at Shining Rock development in Northbridge, are battling home developer Pulte, who is also building houses at Legacy Farms, over a litany of problems they say stems from sloppy construction by Pulte, which built them in 2004.
David Minasian, a research specialist at the New England Carpenters Management Program, based in Worcester, joined them Wednesday with a banner.
"Pulte?s home warranty just a marketing tool. Warranty not honored," the banner read. He said union workers who were scheduled to also picket were held up at a local campaign event in Worcester.
Uthoff and Schmitt waved signs saying "It rains inside my Pulte town home" and "Pulte buyer beware."
Minasian said he was protesting because of the way Pulte, and more specifically its subcontractors, treat workers.
He said workers hired by contractors at a Pulte project in Natick still haven?t been paid, even though the state ordered the contractors in January to pay them overdue wages.
"I think the big issue there is holding the groups who hire accountable," he said.
Minasian said his organization, which represents both union and non-union workers, isn?t sure if Pulte is using those same contractors at Legacy Farms.
"Seeing what homeowners are going through is shameful," he said.
A Pulte spokesman, meanwhile, said the company always pays those they hire. He could not say whether the contractors then pay their own workers.
"Pulte pays all of our workers. There?s no one that?s not paid. If they do the work, they?re paid," said Reid Blute, director of land acquisition for Pulte of New England.
Blute said the Northbridge situation isn?t typical. He said residents can also cause many issues.
"Whatever is our responsibility, it hasn?t been determined yet, we will take care of it," he said.
Blute said progress and sales at Legacy Farms is slower than expected. That is contrary to the report Legacy Farms owner Roy MacDowell gave the Planning Board Monday night.
MacDowell Wednesday said he is happy with Pulte.
"Sometimes people aren?t paid because the quality of the work done," he said.
Uthoff and Schmitt?s homeowner?s association has filed a lawsuit against Pulte, which the developer is asking to settle out of court.
"Every time we've picketed, the offer they come back with gets a little better and a little better," Uthoff said.
Contact Laura Krantz at 508-626-4429 or lkrantz@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurakrantzmwdn.
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