23-1390. Prevention of unfair labor practices

A. The board, as provided in this section, may prevent any person from engaging in any unfair labor practice.

B. If it is charged that any person has engaged in or is engaging in any such unfair labor practice, the board, or any agent or agency designated by the board for such purposes, may issue and cause to be served on the person a complaint stating the charges in that respect and containing a notice of hearing before the board or a member of the board or an administrative law judge at least five days after the serving of the complaint. Hearings shall be conducted pursuant to title 41, chapter 6, article 10. No complaint may issue based on any unfair labor practice occurring more than six months before the filing of the charge with the board and the service of a copy of the complaint on the person against whom the charge is made, unless the person so aggrieved was prevented from filing the charge by reason of service in the armed forces, in which event the six month period shall be computed from the day of the person's discharge. Any such complaint may be amended by the member or administrative law judge conducting the hearing or the board in its discretion at any time before the issuance of an order based on the complaint. The person so complained of may file an answer to the original or amended complaint, may appear in person or otherwise and may give testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint. In the discretion of the board or the member, agent or agency conducting the hearing, any other person may be allowed to intervene in the proceeding and to present testimony.

C. The testimony taken by the board or such member or administrative law judge shall be reduced to writing and filed with the board. Thereafter, in its discretion, the board on notice may take further testimony or hear argument. If on the preponderance of the testimony taken the board determines that any person named in the complaint has engaged in or is engaging in any unfair labor practice, the board shall state its findings of fact and shall issue and cause to be served on the person an order requiring the person to cease and desist from the unfair labor practice and shall take such affirmative action, including reinstatement of employees with or without back pay, as will effectuate the policies of this article. If an order directs reinstatement of an employee, back pay may be required of the employer or labor organization, as the case may be, responsible for the discrimination suffered by the employee. The order may further require the person to make reports from time to time showing the extent to which the person has complied with the order. If on the preponderance of the testimony taken the board determines that the person named in the complaint has not engaged in or is not engaging in any unfair labor practice, the board shall state its findings of fact and shall issue an order dismissing the complaint. No order of the board may require the reinstatement of any individual as an employee who has been suspended or discharged, or the payment to the individual of any back pay, if the individual was suspended or discharged for cause. If the evidence is presented before a member of the board, or before an examiner or examiners of the board, the member, or the examiner or examiners, as the case may be, shall issue and cause to be served on the parties to the proceedings a proposed report, together with a recommended order, that shall be filed with the board, and if no exceptions are filed within ten days after service of the order on such parties, or within such further period as the board may authorize, such recommended order becomes the order of the board and is as prescribed in the order.

D. Until the record in a case is filed in a court, as provided in this section, the board at any time on reasonable notice and in a manner as it deems proper may modify or set aside, in whole or in part, any finding or order made or issued by it.

E. The board may petition the superior court in any county where the unfair labor practice in question occurred or where the person resides or transacts business for the enforcement of the order and for appropriate temporary relief or a restraining order. On the filing of the petition the court shall cause notice to be served on the person, and thereupon has jurisdiction of the proceeding and of the question determined therein, and may grant such temporary relief or restraining order as it deems just and proper and may make and enter a decree enforcing, modifying, and enforcing as so modified, or setting aside in whole or in part the order of the board.

F. Except as provided in section 41-1092.08, subsection H, final decisions of the board are subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

G. If an order of the board made pursuant to this section is based in whole or in part on facts certified following an investigation pursuant to section 23-1389 and there is a petition for the enforcement of the order, the certification and the record of such investigation shall be included in the transcript of the entire record required to be filed under subsection E of this section, and the decree of the court enforcing the order of the board shall be made and entered based on the pleadings, testimony and proceedings set forth in the transcript. The court shall not enforce any order of the board that rests, in whole or in part, on evidence adduced from witnesses who have not testified under oath and who have not been subject to cross-examination by opposing parties.

H. Unless specifically ordered by the court, the commencement of proceedings under subsection E or F of this section does not operate as a stay of the board's order.

I. Petitions filed under this article shall be heard expeditiously, and if possible within ten days after they have been docketed.

J. On issuance of a complaint as provided in subsection B of this section charging that any person has engaged in or is engaging in an unfair labor practice, the board may petition the superior court in any county where the unfair labor practice in question is alleged to have occurred or where the person resides or transacts business for appropriate temporary relief or a restraining order. On the filing of any such petition the court shall cause notice to be served on the person and thereupon has jurisdiction to grant to the board such temporary relief or restraining order as it deems just and proper.

K. If it is charged that any person has engaged in an unfair labor practice, the preliminary investigation of the charge shall be made immediately and shall be given priority over all other cases except cases of like character in the office where it is filed or to which it is referred. If, after such investigation, the officer to whom the matter may be referred has reasonable cause to believe that the charge is true and that a complaint should issue, the officer shall petition, on behalf of the board, the superior court in the county where the unfair labor practice in question has occurred or is alleged to have occurred, or where the person alleged to have committed the unfair labor practice resides or transacts business, for appropriate injunctive relief pending the final adjudication of the board with respect to the matter. On the filing of any such petition the superior court has jurisdiction to grant any injunctive relief or temporary restraining order it deems just and proper, notwithstanding any other law, except that no temporary restraining order may be issued without notice unless a petition alleges that substantial and irreparable injury to the charging party will be unavoidable and the temporary restraining order is effective for no longer than five days and will become void at the expiration of such period. On the filing of any such petition the court shall cause notice to be served on any person complained against in the charge and the person, including the charging party, shall be given an opportunity to appear in person or by counsel and present any relevant testimony. For the purposes of this subsection, the superior court is deemed to have jurisdiction of a labor organization either in the county in which the organization maintains its principal office or in any county in which its duly authorized officers or agents are engaged in promoting or protecting the interests of employee members. The service of legal process on an officer or agent constitutes service on the labor organization and makes the organization a party to the suit.