The Invisible Chains: Framing Abuse of Dominant Position in Labor Markets

Authors

Giulia Mangiafico, Università di BolognaFollow

ORCID

Giulia Mangiafico – 0009-0008-0570-5006

Keywords

Antitrust Law, Dominant Position, Labour Market, Concentration, Monopsony.

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.

Acknowledgements

Funding

This article was prepared within the framework of a PhD program funded by the Italian National Resilience and Recovery Plan (NRRP).

Declaration of Conflict of Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

Declaration about the scope of AI utilisation

The author did not use AI tools in the preparation of this article.

Recommended Citation

Mangiafico, G. (2025). The Invisible Chains: Framing Abuse of Dominant Position in Labor Markets. Yearbook of Antitrust and Regulatory Studies, 18(31), 65-89. https://doi.org/10.7172/1689-9024.YARS.2025.18.31.5

First Page

65

Last Page

89

Page Count

22

Received Date

1.03.2025

Accepted Date

7.07.2025

DOI

10.7172/1689-9024.YARS.2025.18.31.5

JEL Code

J230; K210

Publisher

University of Warsaw