Account Operators accessing other account operators

We have a Windows 2003 (SP1) AD domain. Our helpdesk staff our aco***
operators and they can successfully manage the company's user accounts. They
cannot access builtin accounts such as domain administrators (which I know is
by design and is what I want).

However, and this is my problem, is that they cannot reset passwords or
unlock the accounts of the other account operators. If a helpdesk staff
locks their account the other helpdesk staff cannot unlock it; and they have
to wait for me to do it (I'm a domain admin). I did read an article saying
that this was by design since Windows 2000 SP4. However this is not
particularly helpful to me.

I am being pushed to get this resolved and do not want to give them domain
admin rights. Please can anyone help.
.