#anticompetitive practices

[thoughtlessarse]

EU to confirm €2.4 billion fine for Google

Google holds the record for the three largest fines ever issued by the European executive for anti-competitive behaviour, totalling more tha

Google experienced a setback in the European courts on Thursday, as a General Attorney defended the €2.4 billion fine imposed by Brussels for anti-competitive practises in the price-comparison market, in a legal dispute almost 15 years old. The European Commission – which protects competition within the EU – penalised Google in June 2017 for abusing its dominant online search position. The technology giant is accused of favouring its price comparison tool, Google Shopping, by making its competitors practically invisible to consumers using its search engine. It has consequently been forced to alter its search result displays to meet European requirements. General Attorney for the European Court of Justice (ECJ), Juliane Kokott, recommended on Thursday to “confirm the €2.4 billion fine”. These non-binding opinions are usually upheld by judges but it will be several months before the Luxembourg-based court makes its final ruling. The ECJ will provide a conclusive decision on whether the fine will be applied, with the European Union Court having already confirmed the fine at the first instance.

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[realitista]

States Want Fast Food Chains to Allow Employee Poaching

Fast-food restaurants are already grappling with rising wages and a smaller pool of workers. Now 11 U.S. states want to restrict chains’ ability to bar employees from jumping to another franchisee across town.

Non-compete and antipoaching agreements should be outlawed across all industries. This is how companies suppress the natural market cost of labor and keep people from earning the salaries they deserve. Let the free market work.

Fast-food restaurants are already grappling with rising wages and a smaller pool of workers. Now 11 U.S. states want to restrict chains’ ability to bar employees from jumping to another franchisee across town.

The investigation by states including Massachusetts, California, New York and Illinois, announced Monday, is targeting so-called no-poaching agreements at some of the industry’s largest chains. The states argue that the companies -- the list includes Arby’s, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts and Wendy’s -- are depressing workers’ earnings by preventing them from moving to different franchisees of the same chain.

“No-poach agreements trap workers in low-wage jobs and limit their ability to seek promotion into higher-paying positions within the same chain of restaurants,” Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Monday in an emailed statement. “It unfairly stops low-income workers from advancing and depresses their wages.”

[ricos1161]

In Costa Rica, State Pays $8M For What Should Cost $3M

In Costa Rica, State Pays $8M For What Should Cost $3M

Digital invoicing (facturacion digital in Spanish)

(QCOSTARICA) The Ministry of Finance (Ministerio de Hacienda) and the state run power company ESPH (Empresa de Servicios Públicos de Heredia) have been denounced by the Costa Rican Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (Cámara Costarricense de Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación- Camtic), which brings together technology…

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[qmediaworld]

In Costa Rica, State Pays $8M For What Should Cost $3M

In Costa Rica, State Pays $8M For What Should Cost $3M

Digital invoicing (facturacion digital in Spanish)

(QCOSTARICA) The Ministry of Finance (Ministerio de Hacienda) and the state run power company ESPH (Empresa de Servicios Públicos de Heredia) have been denounced by the Costa Rican Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (Cámara Costarricense de Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación- Camtic), which brings together technology…

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[etechreel]

The judge in Apple v. Samsung II asked the parties to narrow their claims, so they did but now Apple would like to add more claims [PDF], specifically to include the Galaxy S4. Samsung just sold 10 million S4s in less than a month, and Apple’s hair must be on fire.