Consumers' right to file class actions is in danger

[Pryderi]

It hasn't gotten a lot of press, but a case involving AT&T that goes before the U.S. Supreme Court next week has sweeping ramifications for potentially millions of consumers.

If a majority of the nine justices vote the telecom giant's way, any business that issues a contract to customers — such as for credit cards, cellphones or cable TV — would be able to prevent them from joining class-action lawsuits.

This would take away in such cases arguably the most powerful legal tool available to the little guy, particularly in cases involving relatively small amounts of money. Class-action suits allow plaintiffs to band together in seeking compensation or redress, thus giving substantially more heft to their claims.

The ability to ban class actions would potentially also apply to employment agreements such as union contracts.


http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20101105,0,639054.column

[RKP5637]

1. Shut your traps serfs and peasants, you have no right to conjugate and complain about

your masters in USA, Inc.

[Pryderi]

3. When are the American people going to wake up and realize that corporations are the new aristocracy?

[RKP5637]

5. Not until it's too late. Most Americans today IMO are bred to be ignorant. It's really

not their fault, they are programmed to be ignorant from birth. Life experiences from birth reigns them in and reinforces their ignorance. Eventually, when the shit hits the fan, or they get smacked dowm directly, they will wake up and say, WTF, but few will proactively take an interest. If they did, this SH** wouldn't be going on.

IMO history will record America as the most propagandized nation that ever existed. I hate to say it, but I have little hope for the US in the 21st century.

[Pryderi]

4. It's the "Divine Right" of Corporations.

[ejpoeta]

2. that sounds awesome!! of course i am being sarcastic if that is needed

to be said. there was a lawsuit regarding my husband's job where they weren't getting breaks and lunches that someone filed as a class action suit that was settled. he isn't in a union though they tried twice. i wish people would pay attention. i hadn't heard anything about this and i look online all the time to see what's going on, so i can imagine that most people don't know anything about this. thanks for posting this. not sure what we can do, but this is scary.