Are you familiar with BMA's (Binding Mandatory Arbitration)?

[napi21]

I just watched a program on cspan-2 about this. I can't believe it's being so abused by lots and lots of businesses. Companies use it against employees, MANY car dealers write it into their sales agreements, and businesses make it part of their contracts.

BMA literally forces you to give up your rights! You give up access to the courts, and have to meet with arbitrators who have been hired by the offending business!

The program was called "Forum on Consumer Rights and was done at the National Press Club. It's being rerun at 1:20AM est if anyone is interested.

I can't remember the 3 advocate groups that made presentations, and I'm going to watch it again just to get the names.

Anyway, they are all asking citizens to contact their congressman and get some controls put on this practice. The authorization to use arbitration was initially given by congress in 1925, but in the last several years, it is being used to completely undermine our judicial system, and that wasn't the intent when it was first OK'd.

[DenverDem]

1. This is how credit card companies will be hosing us now

after busholini's latest legislative "victory".

[napi21]

3. You're right about the credit card companies. I know I got

notices from 2 different ones, basically saying that we had the option to reject it, but then could no longer use the credit card!

The thing that got to me was the appearance of 2 vistims who spoke on that c-span program. One nurse had worked for the Baptist Hospital in Birmingham Al. for 27 years. 3 years ago they told all their employees they had to sign the agreement or be fired. She refused to sign. They didn't let her go for another 2 years, but then she attended a Nursing Education Conference inn Atlanta and needed 3 days to attend. They OK'd 2 days but not the third. She said she followed the handbook that said she had to call in and tell them she wouldn't be in until the following day because of this conf. When she returned, they fired her. She went to an attorney and he filed suit against the hosp. Now they are arguing that even though she didn't sign the form, she stayed working there so that must mean she agreed and thus couldn't sue them!

The second victim was a chicken farmer who lost his farm and had to declare bankruptcy when the company he had contracted to sell to changed the wording in the contract, declared previous contracts were null & void, and the new one had the BMA clause. When he refused to sign it, they wouldn't buy his chickens.

Why don't the DEMS grab onto stuff like THIS!!! What a great way to show the Pubs for what they really are!!!!!

[Massacure]

2. World News Tonight has been covering this all this week.