Opinion ID: 278889
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Validity of the Amendment

Text: 16 The first of these pertains to the amendment of the charge which was first filed on November 15, 1965. In addition to alleging specific unfair labor practices, it was generally alleged that: 17 'By the acts set forth in the paragraph above and by other acts and conduct, it, by its officers, agents and representatives, interfered with, restrained and coerced its employees in the exercise of rights guaranteed in Section 7 of the Act.' 18 On March 25, 1966, a complaint was filed containing the same specific and general allegations as those contained in the charge. However, on June 16 or 17, 1966, the General Counsel notified petitioner of his intent to amend the charge and original complaint by alleging that on November 12, 1965, the petitioner had created the impression of surveillance of its employee activities in violation of Section 8(a)(1) of the Act. At the opening of the hearing on June 21, 1966, the amendment was allowed over petitioner's objection that it was barred by the six months' statute of limitations provided in Section 10(b) of the Act. 4 19 Actions before the Board are not subject to measurement by the standards applicable to complaints in a private lawsuit. The charge is after all merely the administrative step which sets in motion the investigation to determine whether a complaint will issue. It need not be technically precise so long as it generally informs the party charged of the nature of the alleged violations. N.L.R.B. v. Reliance Steel Products Co., 322 F.2d 49 (5th Cir. 1963). And general allegations in the charge or original complaint may later be supplemented or amplified by more specific allegations. These 'relate back' to the date the charge was filed. N.L.R.B. v. Louisiana Mfg. Co., 374 F.2d 696 (8th Cir. 1967); N.L.R.B. v. Reliance Steel Products Co.,322 F.2d 49 (5th Cir. 1963); and N.L.R.B. v. Local 169, Indus. Division Intern. Broth. of Teamsters, 228 F.2d 425 (3rd Cir. 1955). 20 The charge in the case at bar notified the petitioner that it was faced not only with the specific violations alleged, but with 'other acts and conduct' which 'interfered with, restrained and coerced its employees in the exercise of rights guaranteed in Section 7 of the Act.' This language is, to be sure, general, but it formed a sufficient basis for later specific allegations. See e.g., N.L.R.B. v. Raymond Person, Inc., 243 F.2d 456, 458-459 (5th Cir. 1957), and N.L.R.B. v. Kingston Cake Co., 191 F.2d 563, 567 (3rd Cir. 1951). It was noted in Indiana Metal Products Corp. v. N.L.R.B.,202 F.2d 613, 619 (7th Cir. 1953), that 'basing the complaint upon broad allegations in the charge may well, at times, be unfair to an employer, but such interpretation is required by the broad language of Section 10(b).' The relevant portion of this mentioned subsection of the National Labor Relations Act reads as follows: 21 'No complaint shall issue based upon any unfair labor practice occurring more than six months prior to the filing of the charge with the Board and the service of a copy thereof upon the person against whom such charge is made   . Any such complaint may be amended by the member, agent, or agency conducting the hearing or the Board in its discretion at any time prior to the issuance of an order based thereon.'The Act thus contemplates that there will, on occasion, be amendments to the original allegations. The limitation is that the violations alleged in the complaint shall have occurred within the six months' period of limitation fixed by the filing and service of the charge. N.L.R.B. v. Martin, 207 F.2d 655, 657 (9th Cir. 1953), cert. den. 347 U.S. 917, 74 S.Ct. 514, 98 L.Ed. 1072 (1954). The company's remedy was a motion for continuance rather than a motion to dismiss. N.L.R.B. v. Central Oklahoma Milk Producers Ass'n, 285 F.2d 495 (10th Cir. 1960).