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Washington, D.C.-- The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) today urged passage by the full Senate of a Customs authorization bill approved earlier this week by a key Senate committee. The committee bill seeks to improve, rather than erode, employee morale.
NTEU President Robert M. Tobias said the measure approved by the Senate Finance Committee, consists mainly of an amendment offered by its chairman, Sen. William Roth (RDE), that effectively replaces House?passed legislation that contains a substantial pay cut for employees of the Customs Service.
"The Roth Amendment is basically identical to the House bill," Tobias said, "except that it does not include any changes to the night pay system included in the House?passed bill."
Under the House version of H.R. 1833, front?line Customs officers face pay cuts of up to $5,000 per year as a result of proposed changes in their night pay. Tobias noted that night pay for he men and women of Customs was agreed to by Congress in a 1993 law covering their pay system and that it was widely?agreed that they should be compensated for working irregular and frequently?changing shifts.
"Ports all around the country are open 24?hours a day," Tobias said, "and that requires sacrifices by Customs employees above and beyond the commitment they bring to their dangerous jobs every day."
Tobias said that in the wake of approval of the Roth proposal by the Finance Committee, the full Senate is likely to take up the bill within the next week or so. If that body passes the Roth version of H.R. 1833, the measure would go back to the House as amended to see if the House . will accept the Senate's version. If not, the matter would then go to the conference committee to write a single version of a Customs authorization bill, the union president said.
NTEU represents more than 12,000 Customs employees, including many who are in the front lines of the daily fight against drugs, money?laundering and terrorism.
One section of the Roth bill would require Customs to provide a report to Congress detailing its recommendations for modifications in existing personnel rules. "We would, of course, watch that carefully," Tobias said, "and track any requests by Customs for certain flexibilities with respect to hiring, firing and promoting employees."