RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Labor Market Power and Competition Law in North America and Europe

Project Title: Labor Market Power and Competition Law in North America and Europe
PI: Eric Posner
Award Type: 1-Year IIRP-Based
Department: Law
Division/School: Law School
Start Year: 2025
Description:

Recent research has revealed that many labor markets are dominated by a small number of large employers who control wages and working conditions through anticompetitive practices. While competition authorities worldwide have begun addressing these issues, there remains a critical gap in understanding how competition law should regulate labor markets. This gap stems from the historical separation between industrial organization economics and labor economics. The proposed project aims to bridge this divide by hosting a one-day conference at the University of Chicago’s Paris center in fall 2025, bringing together labor economists, industrial organization economists, legal experts, and competition regulators from North America and Europe. The conference will facilitate knowledge exchange on labor market competition dynamics, regulatory approaches, and practical enforcement tools. Special attention will be given to how national differences in labor market regulation should influence competition law enforcement. By establishing a cross-national network of experts and engaging key stakeholders, including union representatives and policymakers, this initiative seeks to develop more effective approaches to labor market competition and provide a foundation for extending this dialogue to other regions globally.