Consumer Law

On Huff Po: Corporate Hypocrisy re Arbitration

By Kia Franklin

In HuffPo today, Art Levine asks, Why Does Chamber of Commerce Favor Arbitration for Workplace Rape Victims, But Oppose It for Union Workers?. If their flip flopping on the issue is confusing, Levine sets forth a pretty simple litmus test for determining how the corporate lobby will weigh in:

It's easy to determine when businesses will back or oppose arbitration: if it seems likely to screw workers and consumers out of their day in court, then they see it as good, and it if might possibly help workers achieve decent wages and benefits through labor negotiations, then it's bad.

My point exactly! A couple of months ago I wrote here on TD:

The lesson: the die-hard corporatists insist that pre dispute binding mandatory arbitration is such a wonderful thing? but what they mean is, it?s a wonderful thing except when corporations can?t use it to bully people around. When they?re used in relatively more equal power relationships, they?re no good because corporations can?t game the system to their advantage. In those instances, corporations prefer the public courts.

Excuse me while I high-five Art Levine. It is really heartening to see larger outlets like the Huffington Post giving due coverage to this important issue.

Full post as published by TortDeform.com on June 17, 2009 (boomark / email).