End Forced Arbitration

Tomorrow, April 29th is Arbitration Fairness Day in D.C.   Corporations are using forced arbitration to take advantage of consumers and avoid accountability when they do harm.  Arbitration is a private system companies use to solve disputes with consumers.  There are no judges or juries.  There is no appeal process.   Forced arbitration traps consumers into waiving their rights to sue, participate in a class action lawsuit, or appealing an unfair resolution to a conflict.  The consumer does not have access to a courtroom, a judge or a jury.  Most forced arbitration clauses are buried in the fine print of credit card agreements, car loans, insurance agreements and other contracts – clauses that people like you and I are agreeing to everyday. 

Let’s do something to end forced arbitration.  Here’s what you can do:  (1) Visit the website www.FairArbitrationNow.org.  It is an action center for putting an end to forced arbitration.  (2) Sign the petition on the www.FairArbitrationNow.org website.  The petition will be used in conversations with congressional leaders to show how important this issue is to voters.  Adding your signature will help make a strong case for banning forced arbitration now.  (3) Attend Arbitration Day on April 29th in Washington, D.C.  (4) Meet with your local representatives in their offices or write to your local newspaper.  Companies have been stacking the deck against consumers, forcing consumers to waive their rights and play by the companies rules.  Now is the time to stop companies from evading accountability.

Thankfully, there is already legislation moving through Congress to put an end to forced arbitration.  The Arbitration Fairness Act would disallow companies from using forced arbitration in civil rights, employment, consumer, or franchise disputes.

Join me in asking members of Congress to support the Arbitration Fairness Act, which will end the practice of forcing employees and consumers to sign away their rights to legal protections and access to courts.  Sign the petition today:  http://action.citizen.org/t/9119/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1904

Thanks!