Franken Wins Bipartisan Support For Legislation Reining In KBR’s Treatment Of Rape

[Vette Boss]

In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was gang-raped by her co-workers while she was working for Halliburton/KBR in Baghdad. She was detained in a shipping container for at least 24 hours without food, water, or a bed, and “warned her that if she left Iraq for medical treatment, she’d be out of a job.” (Jones was not an isolated case.) Jones was prevented from bringing charges in court against KBR because her employment contract stipulated that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration.

More info and video at the link: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/07/...ken-amendment/

[epp_b]

Tuesday, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2 to 1 ruling, found her alleged injuries were not, in fact, in any way related to her employment and thus, not covered by the contract.

2 to 1? Who's the heartless, soulless douchebag who voted against her?

[Vette Boss]

This is the follow-up: http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/ro...n=1&vote=00308

I cannot believe 30 Republicans would vote against this...

[Dogbert]

Originally Posted by Vette Boss

I cannot believe 30 Republicans would vote against this...

I can. People on Halliburton's dime and/or people who feel Franken gave the Republican party a black eye by winning.

I have a massive amount of respect for Franken for pushing this so hard.

[nomix]

Yeah, respect. And of course, shame on those 30 morons.

[Cobol74]

I can not believe that clauses in her contract like that are even legal.

Or that any one, Republican (a stupid Judge) or Otherwise would vote against her - someone needs to sort this mess out quickl.

Haliburton seem to be a law unto themselves and this is seriously bad for the reputation of the US and the "so called" values that they live by and are trying to export. Cheyney is something to do with this mob is he not?

[Scott]

I really want these 30 douche bags to explain why this was a bad idea. If any of these guys are in your district, pressure them to explain their position to you, this is fucking ridiculous:

NAYs ---30
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

Not Voting - 2
Byrd (D-WV)
Specter (D-PA)

[nomix]

I can't fucking believe it. Those fucking bastards should get a dead fish in their mail. After all, that's what they appear to be.

[jetsetter]

Well, the legislation has implications beyond just this one case. Many businesses use mandatory arbitration clauses.

[nomix]

If they allow companies to do stuff like this, I don't really care.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Well, the legislation has implications beyond just this one case. Many businesses use mandatory arbitration clauses.

Or maybe because I wouldn't overestimate the intelligence of the Republicans.

[Cobol74]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Well, the legislation has implications beyond just this one case. Many businesses use mandatory arbitration clauses.

What for rape?

If you are raped by an employee you do not have recourse to the courts you have to go to 'arbitration'?

How about "You find out about the illegal deals our high government official is putting illegally our way then you do not have recourse to the law you have to go to arbritration"?

Or how about "If you are murdered then you relatives do not have recourse to law but must go to arbritration" nah, it does not fly. That is not a legal clause you can put in an business document.

There is a specific law in the UK that actually prohibits some clauses in business contracts, for good reason.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg...mId=1074405689

[jetsetter]

The legislation has wider reaching implications as I said. This decision will influence other legislation on the issue of mandatory arbitration clauses that has been floating around for years. They were not making a decision on the content of mandatory arbitration clauses, like rape, but the idea of mandatory arbitration clauses.

To prohibit the use of funds for any Federal contract with Halliburton Company, KBR, Inc., any of their subsidiaries or affiliates, or any other contracting party if such contractor or a subcontractor at any tier under such contract requires that employees or independent contractors sign mandatory arbitration clauses regarding certain claims.

As you can see they don't just mention Halliburton or KBR but any contractors.

[klankymen]

Originally Posted by Scott

I really want these 30 douche bags to explain why this was a bad idea.

NAYs ---30
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

Maybe they are planning to gangrape a female party member, and don't want to face any consequences for it?

[brydiem]

Hm, a republican with a surname of "McCain" from Arizona was one of the nays...

Thankyou America, for going democrat.

[Plissken]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Well, the legislation has implications beyond just this one case. Many businesses use mandatory arbitration clauses.

So what. It is simple.

A clause in an employment contract should not take precedence over the law.

End of discussion.

[Dogbert]

Originally Posted by jetsetter

Well, the legislation has implications beyond just this one case. Many businesses use mandatory arbitration clauses.

Unless you can present a case where arbitration is better than legal recourse, I'm going to consider these implications a good thing.

[tigger]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

Cheney is something to do with this mob is he not?

Cheney was CEO of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000. When Halliburton bought Dresser Industries in 1998 they merged their construction subsidiary and Halliburton's engineering subsidiary to form KBR.

KBR has received over 300 million dollars worth of contracts in Afghanistan and they hold the largest single contract of any firm in Iraq. They have made billions in Iraq. Many of these contracts were awarded without bidding, they were just given out to KBR because the White House knew they would do the best job.

It doesn't take a genius to put together what was going on.

Originally Posted by jetsetter

The legislation has wider reaching implications as I said. This decision will influence other legislation on the issue of mandatory arbitration clauses that has been floating around for years. They were not making a decision on the content of mandatory arbitration clauses, like rape, but the idea of mandatory arbitration clauses.

Originally Posted by Dogbert

Unless you can present a case where arbitration is better than legal recourse, I'm going to consider these implications a good thing.

This. I see no reason why this is a bad piece of legislation. And shame on those Republicans who voted against it. I'm not surprised that both Brownback and Roberts in Kansas voted it down. Both of them are dirtbags. The Republicans again show where their loyalties lie: not to their constituency but to their corporate campaign donations.

[nomix]

Cheney really is a dick, isn't he?

[gtrietsc]

I read the legislation - and to me the problem is they lump in criminal offenses with civil offenses.

NO - I don't think you should be forced to arbitration to resolve a sexual assault claim. Thats a criminal offense.

YES - I do think you should be subject to arbitration, if the company wants to make it a condition of employment, when you have a complaint of negligent hiring or supervision.

I mean, c'mon. They could have made this bill work for both sides with a minor edit.