FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 1997

CONTACT: Mary Ann Maloney (202) 606-1800 mamalone@opm.gov

Washington, D.C.--Members of the labor-management team at the U.S. Customs Service, Port of Philadelphia are being honored by the National Partnership Council for their efforts in creating a team that has improved customer service and saved tax dollars. The members of the Port of Philadelphia partnership will receive the award at the National Partnership Award ceremony on:

The National Partnership Council was created on October 1, 1993, by President Clinton to forge labor-management relations throughout the Executive Branch and encourage agencies and unions to work together to create a government that works better and costs less. The Council is comprised of federal cabinet and agency officials, the presidents of the American Federation of Government Employees, National Treasury Employees Union, the National Federation of Federal Employees, a representative of the Public Employees Department of the AFL-CIO, and representatives from the Senior Executive Association and the Federal Managers Association.

The Philadelphia Service Port Partnership Council has been instrumental in enhancing and implementing enormous changes in the ports work practices and staffing configuration. Through partnership efforts, staffing resources have been reallocated to a Contraband Enforcement Team. This change has resulted in greatly increasing the ports ability to interdict illegal narcotics and currency. Cocaine seizures have increased from 14 lbs. to 3,846 lbs., steroid seizures increased from 0 units to 102,417 units, and currency seizures increased from $24,000 to $1,590,575. In addition to an increase in contraband seizures, the port has earned a high level of customer satisfaction from the trade community and worked hard to maintain constant and thorough communication with all employees and managers.

In addition to saluting the U.S. Customs Service, Port of Philadelphia partnership, the National Partnership Council will present awards to six other partnerships that have improved service and saved money.

Each of the partnerships we recognize today is a model for managers and unions as they work together to deliver the highest quality services to the American people, said Vice President Al Gore, who has spearheaded the Reinventing Government effort.

Janice R. Lachance, Acting OPM Director and Chair of the NPC, added, Todays honorees have proven that federal labor-management partnerships provide real results for the American people by saving taxpayer money and delivering better services.

Members of the media wishing to attend the ceremony should contact OPMs Mary Ann Maloney at 202-606-1800 or at mamalone@opm.gov. A live satellite broadcast can be downlinked using the following coordinates:

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