Many people who have encountered issues in franchising as franchisees and faced formidable challenges from their franchisors have told me that they felt that the franchisees are not very well represented these days. Well some are disgruntled franchisees for one reason or the other, maybe their outlet is not turning a profit or even worse maybe it is failing nevertheless I do have a story to tell on this subject. You see, before my retirement, I worked with the AAFD American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, a Franchisee Rights Group and I saw what they were up to and how the coaxed these groups to form mini-Unions, called "Franchisee Associations" and how the lawyers would try to put together class-action lawsuits, collective bargaining and such. I remember in a meeting in New Orleans one year; I drove 2000 miles to meet with the AAFD Board of Directors, the only Franchisor (Board of Director Member at that time) who bothered to get involved to help franchisees rights at the Fair Franchising Standards Committee. I felt as if they were not interested in franchisee rights, they were interested in class-action lawsuits and suing franchisors and the vendors there I felt were interested in blocking franchisors "approved vendors lists" to sell direct to franchisees. It was a basic extortion meeting and class action strategy session. Then they quit the first day early, so they could go "Pubbing" bar hopping like a bunch of K-street "Strategy Session Tootie Fruity" bar hopping fools on the taxpayer's credit cards. Only this group was using Franchisee Association Fees from franchisees of companies like Mineike Muffler, 7-11 and Subway. What did all these pillars of the franchising community do? They went from Gentleman's Club to Gentleman's Club in New Orleans? And no, I am not Christian Coalition Crusader by any means, I do not belong to any religion and I love women too, but seriously these people are not serious about franchisee rights, I later resigned my position. Please consider all this in 2006, because it sure woke me up! |
