Appeal it!
Every damn company in the nation has these arbitration clauses.
My employment agreement includes one. I know, I had to exercise it in the last 30 days.
I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, this is so heavy-handed and un-friendly to business.
On the other hand, if my employer really f's me over, I'd have legal recourse to sue the sh*t out of them.
Which do I hate more? Government (Obama) or big corporate monoliths that treat human beings as disposable "resources?"
Tough question.
When it is initially described arbitration sounds fair and like a good alternative to expensive litigation.
But arbitration between parties of vastly unequal size is never fair. The arbitrator is paid by the parties. Sounds even handed, right -- actually very wrong. A large corporation will go to arbitration many, many times vs. once for an individual. If a particular arbitrator does not produce decisions the corporation likes, they will scratch him from their list of acceptable arbitrators, which could substantially reduce his income.
Arbitrators are "captured" by their repeat clients. It is an inherently unfair situation.