US: MLB’s latest class action challenges restraint of trade practices

Major League Baseball is facing its third class action this year, and the newest suit is challenging the group on antitrust grounds against its hiring and payment practices.

According to reports, the class action, filed December 5 by several Minor League players, alleges that the MLB formed a “cartel” to suppress wages and restrain trade, affecting 6,000 minor leaguers. Court documents show the plaintiffs are accusing the MLB of abusing its monopoly power to fix the salary prices and impose unfair contracts on minor league players.

The plaintiffs claim that the MLB capitalizes on the fear of minor league players to retaliate against the unfair practices for fear of not reaching the major leagues.

”The minor league players who have no union, no collective bargaining, and no free agency, are at a competitive disadvantage and need the protection of the antitrust laws to stop the financially superior Defendants from continuing to give the minor league players the short end of the bat,” the filing states.

A similar lawsuit was filed last March and July, reports say.

Full content: National Law Journal

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