190917 coalition fairact congress

Published

September 09, 2019

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To The Members of the United States Congress:

We urge you to oppose the “Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (or FAIR) Act,” (H.R. 1423 and S. 610), which would effectively outlaw arbitration provisions in private contracts. Federal law has protected arbitration as a means of resolving disputes between businesses, consumers and employees since 1925. These bills will result in more class action lawsuits.

The use of pre-dispute arbitration clauses in contracts benefits consumers, small businesses and employees. For example, a recent study by the Institute for Legal Reform found that employees prevailed three times more often, recovered twice as much money, and resolved their claims more quickly in arbitration than in litigation.[1] In addition, courts work to ensure that arbitration agreements of all types are fair and do not provide an untoward advantage to any party.

The only clear beneficiary of eliminating arbitration clauses are plaintiffs’ trial lawyers who would directly benefit from class action litigation replacing cost-effective and fair arbitration as a viable way to resolve disputes. Their gain would come at the expense of consumers, small businesses and employees. Studies have shown that class action settlements frequently provide, at best, a very low return to class members while the plaintiffs’ attorneys take in millions of dollars.

Accordingly, we urge you to oppose H.R. 1423 and S. 610.

Sincerely,

National

ACA International

American Bankers Association

American Financial Services Association

American Foundry Society

American International Automobile Dealers Association

American Staffing Association

American Tort Reform Association

American Transaction Processors Coalition

Consumer Bankers Association

Consumer Data Industry Association

Cruise Lines International Association

CTIA

Electronic Transactions Association

Food Marketing Institute

Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association (FEDA)

Innovative Payments Association

International Franchise Association

Lawyers for Civil Justice

National Association of Manufacturers

National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors

National Black Chamber of Commerce

National Independent Automobile Dealers Association

National Restaurant Association

National Retail Federation

NCTA - The Internet & Television Association

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies

Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE)

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR)

USTelecom

Alabama

Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce

Arkansas

Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce

Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce

Arizona

Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce

Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce

Marana Chamber of Commerce

California

Camarillo Chamber of Commerce

El Centro Chamber of Commerce

Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

North Orange County Chamber

San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership

Florida

Davenport Chamber of Commerce

Florida Chamber of Commerce

Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce

Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce

Iowa

Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce

Illinois

Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce

Illinois Chamber of Commerce

Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce

Indiana

Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Kentucky

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Louisiana

New Orleans Chamber of Commerce

Massachusetts

South Shore Chamber of Commerce

Michigan

Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce

Missouri

Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mississippi

Olive Branch Chamber of Commerce

Nevada

Carson City Chamber of Commerce

Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce

New York

The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

Oklahoma

Tulsa Regional Chamber

Pennsylvania

Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry

Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry

Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce

Tennessee

Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce

Kingsport Chamber

Texas

Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce

Laredo Chamber of Commerce

Lubbock Chamber of Commerce

Utah

South Jordan Chamber of Commerce

South Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce

Virginia

Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce

Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Washington

Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce

Wisconsin

Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce

Wyoming

Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce


[1]https://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/research/fairer-faster-better-an-empirical-assessment-of-employment-arbitration

190917 coalition fairact congress