This paper examines how the concept of abuse of dominant position can be applied to the labour markets, where demand-side concentration and supply-side fragmentation generate monopsonistic dynamics that suppress wages, limit mobility, and reduce job security. It argues that traditional antitrust tools can be adapted to labour-specific contexts by redefining market boundaries through commuting zones, occupational substitutability, and recognition of artificial fragmentation. The study also addresses how exploitative practices such as non-compete agreements illustrate the concrete impact of employer power, and it highlights the need for a more coherent regulatory approach. Ultimately, it suggests that competition law, when enforced alongside labour law, can play a critical role in safeguarding fairer and more competitive labour markets.
Mangiafico, G. (2025). The Invisible Chains: Framing Abuse of Dominant Position in Labor Markets. YEARBOOK OF ANTITRUST AND REGULATORY STUDIES, 18(31), 1-25 [10.7172/1689-9024.YARS.2025.18.31.5].
The Invisible Chains: Framing Abuse of Dominant Position in Labor Markets
Giulia Mangiafico
2025
Abstract
This paper examines how the concept of abuse of dominant position can be applied to the labour markets, where demand-side concentration and supply-side fragmentation generate monopsonistic dynamics that suppress wages, limit mobility, and reduce job security. It argues that traditional antitrust tools can be adapted to labour-specific contexts by redefining market boundaries through commuting zones, occupational substitutability, and recognition of artificial fragmentation. The study also addresses how exploitative practices such as non-compete agreements illustrate the concrete impact of employer power, and it highlights the need for a more coherent regulatory approach. Ultimately, it suggests that competition law, when enforced alongside labour law, can play a critical role in safeguarding fairer and more competitive labour markets.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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