(a) The board is empowered, as hereinafter provided, to prevent any person from engaging in any unfair labor practice listed in section six of this act.¹ This power shall be exclusive and shall not be affected by any other means of adjustment or prevention that have been or may be established by agreement, law, or otherwise.

(b) Whenever it is charged that any person has engaged in or is engaging in any such unfair labor practice, the board, or any member or designated agent thereof, shall have authority 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 board, or any member or designated agent thereof, at a place therein fixed, not less than five days after the serving of said complaint. Any such complaint may be amended by the board, member or agent conducting the hearing 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, to give testimony at the place and time set in the complaint. In the discretion of a member or agent conducting the hearing or of the board, 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 be followed but shall not be controlling.

(c) The testimony taken at the hearing shall be reduced to writing and filed with the board. The board upon notice may take further testimony or hear argument. If, upon all the testimony taken, the board shall determine that any person named in the complaint has engaged in or is engaging in any such unfair labor practice, the board shall state its findings of fact, and issue and cause to be served on such person an order requiring such person to cease and desist from such unfair labor practice, and to take such reasonable affirmative action, including reinstatement of employes discharged in violation of clause (c) of subsection (1) of section six of this act, with or without back pay, as will effectuate the policies of this act. Such order may further require such person to make reasonable reports, from time to time, showing the extent to which the order has been complied with. If, upon all the testimony, the board shall be of the opinion that the person or persons named in the complaint has not engaged in or is not engaging in any such unfair labor practice, then the board shall make its findings of fact and shall issue an order dismissing the complaint. No order shall award back pay from a period more than six weeks prior to the time of the filing of the complaint. A copy of such findings of fact, conclusions of law, and order shall be mailed to all parties to the proceedings.

(d) Until a transcript of the record in a case shall have been filed in a court as hereinafter provided, the board 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: Provided, That any agreement made between an employer and a bona fide labor organization, and all the provisions thereof, shall be entitled to full force and effect unless the board specifically finds that these provisions involve the commission of an unfair labor practice within the meaning of clause (c) of subsection (1) of section six of this act.

(e) The proceedings before the board or before any of its examiners shall be conducted with speed and dispatch. No findings shall be made on the basis of evidence relating to acts which occurred prior to the original passage of this act.

(f) All cases in which complaints are actually issued by the board, shall be prosecuted before the board or its examiner, or both, by the representatives of the labor organization or employe filing the charge, and, in addition thereto or in lieu thereof if the Department of the Attorney General sees fit, by a deputy attorney general especially assigned to this type of case. No examiner shall have any other position with the government of this State or of the United States or with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board while in the employ of the board.