Basic Guide to the National Labor Relations Act

Special Proceedings in Certain Cases. Special proceedings are required by the Act in certain kinds of cases. 
These include the determination of jurisdictional disputes under Section 10(k) and injunction proceedings under 
Section 10(1) and (j). 
Proceedings in jurisdictional disputes. Whenever it is charged that any person has engaged in an unfair labor 
practice in violation of Section 8(b)(4)(D), the Board must hear and determine the dispute out of which the unfair 
labor practice arises. Section 8(b)(4)(D) prohibits unions from striking or inducing a strike to compel an employer to 
assign particular work to employees in one union, or in one trade or craft, rather than another. For a jurisdictional 
dispute to exist, there must be real competition between unions or between groups of employees for certain work. In 
effect, Section 10(k) provides an opportunity for the parties to adjust the dispute during a 10-day period after notice 
of the 8(b)(4)(D) charge has been served. At the end of this period if the parties have not submitted to the Board 
satisfactory evidence that they have adjusted, or agreed on a method of adjusting, the dispute, the Board is 
“empowered and directed” to determine which of the competing groups is entitled to have the work. 
The investigation of certain charges must be given priority. Section 10(1) provides that whenever a charge is 
filed alleging a violation of certain sections of the Act relating to boycotts, picketing and work stoppages, the 
preliminary investigation of the charge must be given priority over all other types of cases in the Regional Office 
where it is filed. The unfair labor practices subject to this priority concerning the investigation are those defined in 
Section 8(b)(4)(A), (B), or (C), all three subparagraphs of Section 8(b)(7), Section 8(e) and, where appropriate, 
8(b)(4)(D), Section 10(m) requires that second priority be given to charges alleging violations of Section 8(a)(3), the 
prohibition against employer discrimination to encourage or discourage membership in a union, and Section 8(b)(2), 
which forbids unions to cause or attempt to cause such discrimination. 
Injunction proceedings under Section 10(l). If the preliminary investigation of any of the first priority cases 
shows that there is reasonable cause to believe that the charge is true and that a complaint should issue, Section 10(l) 
further requires the Board to petition a U.S. district court to grant an injunction pending the final determination of 
the Board. The section authorizes the court to grant “such injunctive relief or temporary restraining order as it deems 
just and proper.” Another provision of the section prohibits the application for an injunction based on a charge of 
violation of Section 8(b)(7) (the prohibition on organizational or recognitional picketing in certain situations) if a 
charge against an employer alleging violation of Section 8(a)(2) has been filed and the preliminary investigation 
establishes reasonable cause to believe that such charge is true. 
Injunctive relief may be sought in other cases. Section 10(j) allows the Board to petition a Federal district court 
for an injunction to temporarily prevent any unfair labor practice after a complaint has been issued and to restore the 
status quo. pending the full review of the case by the Board. This section does not require that injunctive relief be 
sought, but only makes it possible for the Board to do so in cases when it is considered appropriate.