While the central issue involves an arbitration contract, this case is really about the economics of class actions, which allow lawyers to bundle together hundreds or millions of small claims into a very powerful weapon to induce companies to settle on their terms.

FORBES: Supreme Court Asked: Are Class Actions Sacred?

When clients try to end their contracts early, Cintas calls their attention to the binding-arbitration clause dictated in the contract.

FORBES: Dirty Laundry

Unhappy about this turn of events, in 2001 DPTG initiated binding arbitration proceedings provided for in its contract with Polish Telecom.

FORBES: Poland Needs To Clean Up Polish Telecom Before It Ascends To E.U. Presidency

Binding arbitration also denies employees a vote on a contract.

WSJ: The New Old 'Card Check'

Another part to this initiative is mandatory arbitration: If management does not agree to a labor contract with a newly unionized unit after 120 days, an outside arbitrator can dictate the terms of the contract.

FORBES: Miraculous March to the White House

Democrats also aren't giving up on binding arbitration, which would let a federal arbitrator impose a contract if management and a newly established union at a work site aren't able to agree within 90 days.

WSJ: The New Old 'Card Check'

The bill also imposes a compulsory arbitration regime that results in an automatic two-year union "contract" after 130 days of failed negotiation.

WSJ: A Liberal Supermajority

The Federal Arbitration Act has roots in the historic hostility of state judges to any sort of private contract that diminished their ability to question its terms.

FORBES: Has Scalia Killed The Class Action?