American Arbitration Association

This association holds hearings if you object and challenge the amount of the fee that the union takes. They appoint an arbitrator and the union pays for the arbitration. Sounds kind of strange, doesn't it, but it's true. I'm glad that the union doesn't pay the salaries of our police and our courts.

Arbitrators, in some ways, have more power than judges. They do not have to follow any kind of normal court procedure or rulings. They can and have denied subpoena's for documents vital to the case. They can and have ignored motions and pleadings for months. Their decisions, no matter how unjust, can hardly ever be overturned, the courts will not interfere. Arbitrators have arbitratorial immunity, they can figuratively rape you and there is nothing you can do to them.

You may ask why I bother with this process? I have several reasons. First, if no one challenges, the union will take every penny (some unions keep 99% of the money). Second, every once in a while, a union makes outlandish claims. The arbitrators actually need to exercise some caution for various reasons. They must at least give the appearance of a fair hearing. Finally, involvement in the hearings gives me certain advantages.