Begin by boycotting AT&T services and products. Then join Public Citizen to enable your congress in passing the
Arbitration Fairness Act (S. 987, H.R. 1873).
Haruna,
Lurking in the fine print of contracts,
corporations often insert forced arbitration clauses, which essentially
strip consumers and employees of the right to hold them accountable in
court.
Instead, consumers and employees who have been hurt or ripped off are forced into a private system that favors corporations.
Tell your members of Congress to stop the corporate attack on our rights and end forced arbitration.
On top of that, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month in
AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion that corporations can use forced arbitration clauses to also deny people the right to band together in class actions.
In practice, the ruling means if a company
decides to illegally charge an extra $10 to its 10 million customers,
there is virtually no way for the customers to hold the company
accountable for this $100 million in illicit gains.
Instead of banding together, the corporation can
use the fine print to require each consumer to file his or her claim
individually — something few would do if only a small amount is at
stake.
But there is a sliver of good news: This ruling can be fixed if Congress passes the
Arbitration Fairness Act (S. 987, H.R. 1873).
Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Richard
Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) just introduced this
bill.
Please help us to expand support for the Arbitration Fairness Act. Ask your members of Congress to become cosponsors.
Tell your Representative and Senators to support the Arbitration Fairness Act.
Arbitration clauses are often inserted in
standard contracts for cell phones, credit cards, home construction,
nursing home care and employment. People who need the job or service
have no choice but to submit to the contract.
The Arbitration Fairness Act would eliminate
forced arbitration clauses and allow consumers and employees to
choose how to resolve disputes after they arise — whether in court or arbitration, individually or as a member of a class.
Thanks for all you do,
Rick Claypool
Public Citizen’s Online Action Team
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