INS Chief Praises Inspectors, Chides Unionists

Amid reports of plunging morale at border crossings, officials of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service on Monday praised the “exemplary performance” of their border inspectors but labeled as irresponsible recent statements by employee representatives who criticized management.

Harold Ezell, INS Western commissioner, said in a news conference that he is scheduled to meet Wednesday with officials of the inspectors’ union in an effort to deal with “legitimate” problems. The union has complained of a range of concerns, including alleged management harassment, unfair firings or transfers, mandatory overtime and hazardous working conditions.

Ezell, however, charged that it was “irresponsible” for union leaders to suggest last week that workers were planning to stage a work slowdown during the busy July Fourth weekend, a move that could have caused monumental traffic backups along the border.

“Labor-management relations cannot be solved in this manner,” Ezell said.

Union representatives denied ever threatening a work slowdown, and charged that Ezell was misrepresenting their position.

“There was nothing irresponsible about the union’s actions,” said Richard W. Walker, vice president of Local 2805 of the National Immigration and Naturalization Service Council of the American Federation of Government Employees. The union represents INS inspectors, clerks, investigators and other personnel, apart from the Border Patrol.

The INS and the U.S. Customs Service share responsibility for manning the inspection booths along the U.S.-Mexican border, including the bustling facilities at San Ysidro and Otay Mesa. Delays at the stations are a sensitive issue along the border, where local economies depend on a smooth flow of shoppers and commerce across the boundary.

Union officials said they went public with their complaints last week out of “desperation” after working conditions had declined markedly in recent months. Walker described inspectors’ morale as “extremely poor” and said the problem was affecting job performances and contributing to delays at the border.

Last week, the union issued a statement warning of prospective delays of up to four hours at the border over July Fourth. The union says it never threatened a work stoppage or slowdown.

G. Alan Ferguson, also a union vice president, said: “The inspectors simply cannot perform at full efficiency under these conditions.”

The union official noted that the number of inspectors posted at San Ysidro has been cut from 105 in 1977 to 55 today--a reduction of almost 50%.

Ezell acknowledges that the border inspection stations are understaffed, but he said the union’s tactics were nonetheless misguided.

“We need more people; there’s no question about it,” Ezell said.