SoCal Edison Wins First Skirmish in Ex-Workers’ Antitrust War

Southern California Edison Co. scored a preliminary court victory against fired former employees challenging its policy banning them from acting as independent line installation contractors in regions it serves as an electrical utility.

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett dismissed the case without prejudice from the US District Court for the Central District of California, where the antitrust lawsuit targeted the largest subsidiary of utility holding company Edison International.

Garnett, writing Tuesday, said the suit by Southern California Electrical Firm—founded by Edison ex-employees—failed to properly define an economic market that could have been distorted by the policy. A precise market definition is ...