BATON ROUGE — Former Gov. John Bel Edwards is among the partners of a firm the Baton Rouge Metro Council voted in favor of hiring to file an antitrust class action lawsuit against the country's largest manufacturers of firetrucks. 

On Wednesday, the council voted to approve an agreement with Louisiana-based business law firm Fishman Haygood to explore the antitrust lawsuit. 

Several lawsuits have been filed against Pierce Manufacturing, Rosenbauer America, and REV Group, alleging that these companies are working together to limit competition and charge higher prices, forcing departments to wait years for new fire trucks. 

These companies are members of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association and control 70% of the market, according to data.

REV bought Holden-based Ferrara Fire Apparatus in 2017, bringing the monopoly closer to home for many in the Capital Area.

Edwards, speaking to the council, made it clear that the hiring of his firm would be on a contingency basis, meaning the city-parish would only have to pay the firm if they receive a favorable outcome from the antitrust lawsuit.