Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title XXI Chapter 150A
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 150A, § 6 (2026)

Prevention of unfair labor practices; powers of commission; proceedings; judicial review

✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section MAmalegislature.gov (official) JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

Section 6. (a) The commission is empowered, as hereinafter provided, to prevent any person from engaging in any unfair labor practice listed in sections four, four A, four B and four C affecting industry, trade or health care. This power shall be exclusive, and shall not be affected by any other means of adjustment or prevention that has been or may be established by agreement, code, law, or otherwise.

(b) Whenever it is charged that any person has engaged in or is engaging in any such unfair labor practice, the commission, or any agent or agency designated by the commission for such purposes, shall have power to issue and cause to be served upon such person a complaint stating the charges in that respect, and containing a notice of hearing before the commission or a member thereof, or before a designated agent or agency, at a place therein fixed, not less than five days after the serving of said complaint. Any such complaint may be amended by the member, agent or agency conducting the hearing or the commission in its discretion at any time prior to the issuance of an order based thereon. The person so complained of shall have the right to file an answer to the original or amended complaint and to appear in person or otherwise and give testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint. In the discretion of the member, agent or agency conducting the hearing or the commission, any other person may be allowed to intervene in the said proceeding and to present testimony. In any such proceeding the rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling.

(c) If upon the record before him such member or agent shall determine that an unfair labor practice has been committed by a person named in the complaint, he shall issue and cause to be served upon such person an order requiring such person to cease and desist from such unfair labor practice, and to take such further affirmative action as will effectuate the provisions of this chapter. If the member or agent determines that an unfair labor practice has not been committed, he shall issue an order dismissing the complaint. An order issued pursuant to this subsection shall become final and binding unless, within ten days after notice thereof, any party requests review by the full commission. A review may be made upon a written statement of the case by the member or agent agreed to by the parties, or upon written statements furnished by the parties, or, if any party or the commission requests, upon a transcript of the testimony taken at the preliminary hearing, if any, together with such other testimony as the commission may require.

If upon the record before it the commission determines that an unfair practice has been committed it shall state its findings of fact and issue and cause to be served on the person an order requiring such person to cease and desist from such unfair labor practice, and to take such further affirmative action as will effectuate the provisions of this chapter. If upon the record before it the commission determines that an unfair labor practice has not been committed, it shall state its findings of fact and shall issue an order dismissing this complaint.

(d) Until the record in a case shall have been filed in a court, as hereinafter provided, the commission may at any time, upon reasonable notice and in such manner as it shall deem proper, modify or set aside, in whole or in part, any finding or order made or issued by it.

(e) The commission may institute appropriate proceedings in the appeals court for enforcement of its final orders.

(f) Any party aggrieved by a final order of the commission may institute proceedings for judicial review in the appeals court within thirty days after receipt of said order.

The proceedings in the appeals court shall, insofar as applicable, be governed by the provisions of section fourteen of chapter thirty A.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases, 1942–1997 · leading case: Labor Relations Comm'n v. Blue Hill Spring Water Co., 11 Mass. App. Ct. 50 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Labor Relations Comm'n v. Blue Hill Spring Water Co., 11 Mass. App. Ct. 50 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980). · cites it 6× “The Superior Court had before it the record made by the commission (see G. L. c. 150A, § 6[e]) and a “Stipulation of Facts” characterized by the parties as an “agreefment] on the following facts as evidence.”
Labor Relations Comm'n v. Univ. Hosp., Inc., 269 N.E.2d 682 (Mass. 1971). · cites it 2× “This is a petition brought by the Labor Relations Commission (Commission) under G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (e), as amended by St.”
Trs. of Forbes Library v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 428 N.E.2d 124 (Mass. 1981). “See G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (e), (f) (incorporating G.”
Labor Relations Comm'n v. City of Everett, 391 N.E.2d 694 (Mass. App. Ct. 1979). · cites it 2× “150E, § 11, should be conducted in a manner similar to the procedures outlined in G. L. c. 150A, § 6(e), governing enforcement proceedings by the commission in cases involving private sector employees.”
Jordan Marsh Co. v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 56 N.E.2d 915 (Mass. 1944). · cites it 2× “318), filed its petition in the Superior Court under G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (f), inserted by St. 1938, c.”
R. H. White Co. v. Murphy, 38 N.E.2d 685 (Mass. 1942). “The defendants contend, however, that, even though the contract be invalid, it is the function of the commission and not of the courts to set it aside, because the commission is given exclusive jurisdiction by G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (a), to bring proceedings to prevent unfair labor…”
Labor Relations Comm'n v. Clover Leaf Corp., 360 N.E.2d 627 (Mass. 1977). · cites it 6× “Clover Leaf subsequently filed a petition in the Superior Court pursuant to G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (/), seeking judicial review of the commission’s decision and order.”
City Manager of Medford v. State Labor Relations Comm'n, 233 N.E.2d 310 (Mass. 1968). “Precedents under G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (f), as amended through St.”
Massachusetts Bay Transp. Auth. v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 680 N.E.2d 556 (Mass. 1997). “See G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (e) and (f). The court on such review may enforce, modify, or set aside the commission’s order.”
Bd. of Selectmen v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 453 N.E.2d 466 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 150A, § 6(e), (f); G. L. c. 30A, § 14(7) (e).”
St. Elizabeth's Hosp. v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 321 N.E.2d 837 (Mass. App. Ct. 1975). “The plaintiff contends that the order should be set aside because it is unsupported by substantial evidence, as required by G. L. c. 150A, § 6 (e), and G. L. c. 30A, § 14 (8) (e), and because it is “[arbitrary or capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance…”
Town of Franklin v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 292 N.E.2d 686 (Mass. 1973). “G. L. c. 150A, § 6, as amended. The final decree of the Superior Court upheld the commission and the town is appealing therefrom.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 150A, § 6(e) — 3 cases
Labor Relations Comm'n v. Blue Hill Spring Water Co., 11 Mass. App. Ct. 50 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980). “The Superior Court had before it the record made by the commission (see G. L. c. 150A, § 6[e]) and a “Stipulation of Facts” characterized by the parties as an “agreefment] on the following facts as evidence.”
Labor Relations Comm'n v. City of Everett, 391 N.E.2d 694 (Mass. App. Ct. 1979). “150E, § 11, should be conducted in a manner similar to the procedures outlined in G. L. c. 150A, § 6(e), governing enforcement proceedings by the commission in cases involving private sector employees.”
Bd. of Selectmen v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 453 N.E.2d 466 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “See G. L. c. 150A, § 6(e), (f); G. L. c. 30A, § 14(7) (e).”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 150A, § 6(f) — 1 case
Labor Relations Comm'n v. City of Everett, 391 N.E.2d 694 (Mass. App. Ct. 1979). “150E, § 11, should be conducted in a manner similar to the procedures outlined in G. L. c. 150A, § 6(e), governing enforcement proceedings by the commission in cases involving private sector employees.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.