NFL Players Assn. Gets Authorization to File a Complaint for Back Pay

The National Football League Players Assn. won a round in court Thursday, but the Chicago Bears weren’t helping to pay for it.

The National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel has authorized a complaint saying that some NFL players were illegally barred from the first weekend of games after the strike. The complaint seeks back pay on behalf of the striking players, which would amount to about $20 million leaguewide.

Meanwhile, it was learned that the Bears have stopped paying dues to the union and have no plans to resume payments. The NFLPA said Wednesday about 20% of the league’s membership had not paid dues since the walkout ended in October.

“They’ve always been an independent bunch,” Doug Allen, the union’s assistant executive director, said of the Bears.

In another matter, the NFL Management Council said that 78 of the 527 players the union claims will be free agents Feb. 1 are incorrectly listed.

“Seventy-three of the 78 are under contract for 1988,” said John Jones, a spokesman for the council, which is the owners’ labor relations arm. “Four have been cut and one is retired.”