Labor News & Commentary January 27 New York looks to continue the antitrust fight and more

[Omaha Steve]

https://onlabor.org/january-27-2024/

By Holden Hopkins

Holden Hopkins is a student at Harvard Law School.

In today’s News & Commentary, New York looks to continue the antitrust fight and Trump’s anti-DEI orders are likely to prompt lawsuits.

New York lawmakers are pushing to overhaul the state’s century-old antitrust laws with a bill that would empower authorities and private actors to sue businesses abusing their market dominance. The legislation, introduced by State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, reflects former FTC Chair Lina Khan’s efforts to curb corporate monopolies and expand protections for workers and small businesses. The bill introduces an “abuse of dominance” standard, inspired by European models, allowing broader antitrust claims. It also proposes a comprehensive merger notification program to scrutinize labor market impacts, echoing federal initiatives.

Despite Senate approval last year, the bill faces resistance in the Assembly, where some lawmakers and business groups claim it may drive companies out of New York and raise consumer costs. Meanwhile, labor groups like ALIGN and unions such as the Teamsters strongly support the measure, citing its potential to counteract corporate exploitation.

FULL story at link.