A player or players on the NFL Giants filed an unfair labor practices charge with the NLRB against the NFLPA, alleging the union engaged in activity that violates the National Labor Relations Act. "Within the previous six months, the above-named labor organization (NFLPA) has restrained and coerced employees in the exercise of rights protected by Section 7 of the Act by refusing to process the Charging Party's grievance for arbitrary or discriminatory reasons or in bad faith," states the charge filed in November, which is public record. The name or names of the player or players who filed the charge is not public, and that information is redacted on the NLRB's website. Attempts to determine who the charging player or players are was unsuccessful at presstime, but the case is open and the investigation is ongoing. Both NFLPA Assistant Exec Dir of External Affairs George Atallah and Giants Senior VP/Communications Pat Hanlon declined comment. The NLRB issued a letter to the Giants stating that although the charge was not filed against the club, that NLRB investigators might need information from the Giants to determine whether the Board has jurisdiction over the case and may need evidence from the Giants in the future. This marks the second charge filed against the NFLPA in November. Eagles OT Lane Johnson on Nov. 10 filed a complaint against the NFLPA and the NFL and it remains open and ongoing. The new charge was filed on Nov. 2. "This charge is a so called duty of fair representation allegation," said former NLRB Chair Bill Gould. "That is to say, that the employee in question is alleging that the union acted or as the charge said, for unfair, discriminatory, hostile reasons is refusing to process his grievance." Gould said there are many such charges filed by employees against their unions, but it is impossible to say whether the charge has merit or what it is about, based on the publicly available information. "It could be any range of things, who knows?" Gould said. "It could be over any working condition."
