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Washington, D.C.-- The president of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) today characterized as "the wrong move at the wrong time" a proposal by a House subcommittee to cut the night pay of Customs Service inspectors and canine enforcement officers.

NTEU President Robert M. Tobias said the action in yesterday's legislative markup session on a Customs authorization bill by the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade "makes no sense" in light of subcommittee action at the same session to boost Customs spending on drug interdiction over the next two fiscal years.

"At the very least, it is counterproductive to ?penalize the very people you are asking to do the critical job of reducing the flow of drugs onto our streets and into our schoolyards by cutting their pay," Tobias said.

He called the proposal "particularly unnecessary" at a time of unprecedented budget surpluses, and said it is "foolish" to entertain such a proposal at the same time as there is Washington talk about doubling the salary of the President to $400,000 a year.

NTEU represents more than 12,000 Customs employees, including those who are in the front lines of the fight against drugs, money?laundering and terrorism. Nationally, NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing more than 155,000 employees in 21 agencies and departments.

Tobias said NTEU "will adamantly oppose" any effort to cut the pay of the men and women of the Customs Service. "These dedicated public servants put their lives on the line every day for their fellow Americans, and they deserve the support not just of the public but of elected leaders as well."

The NTEU president noted that Customs work "is a 24?hour?a?day job," with work weeks that commonly reach to 56 hours and more, and with constantly changing work shifts. Customs officer pay is governed by the 1993 Customs Officer Pay Reform Act (COPRA).

Like other federal employees, Customs officers who regularly work at night are entitled to a night pay differential.

The small incentive derived from the night differential is a form of compensation for the irregular, unusual and frequently?changing hours Customs inspectors and canine enforcement officers must work during the year, Tobias said.