The Nation : Customs Curbs Drug Tests

The Customs Service, scheduled to start testing workers for drug use this week, has called off part of the plan, the unscheduled, random testing of employees, a spokesman said. Robert Tobias, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents about 4,000 customs workers, said the decision to halt the random testing was a “major victory for all federal employees.” Last week, the union charged the plan was an “unwarranted invasion of privacy” and filed suit to halt the drug tests. However, Customs Service spokesman Dennis Murphy said testing for new applicants continues, as well as voluntary testing of management positions and testing for some other employees.