GEPB, Guam teachers union reach a tentative agreement

GUAM—The Guam Education Policy board and the Guam Federation of Teachers—Guam’s Union of professionals, AFT Local 1581, AFL-CIO—have reached a tentative agreement for the collective bargaining agreement that covers teachers, school health counselors, librarians, counselors, and other professionals employed by the Guam Public School System.

“I view this as a major victory for the people of Guam that will move our island forward in our efforts to ensure quality educators for our children,” said GFT president Matt Rector on Friday. “This meeting of the minds will hopefully begin a new spirit of cooperation between labor and the government of Guam’s current caretakers. I applaud this effort on the part of the GEPB and hope other governmental entities will follow suit.”

When ratified, GFT said this contract will help create positive changes in the way the Guam Public School System’s management deals with educational professionals, by giving them partners in the educational process. These changes will help to provide and deliver an educational system that Guam can be proud of, it added.

“Now that we have finished the hard work at the negotiating table we must all go forth expeditiously to finish the process so as to protect our children and our island from off-island teacher recruiters,” said Rector.

Research shows that retention of teachers has two major factors: pay and working conditions. GFT said that, by providing appropriate working conditions, Guam can be assured that more good teachers will stay in Guam and that the current DOE brain drain to places like Clark County Nevada will be reduced.

“This contract is one step in the right direction, but we still must give our educators and government workers competitive salaries if we truly want to ensure the future of our islands families,” said the union in a statement.

In an effort to finalize this process as quickly as possible, the GFT will be holding its ratification meeting at 5pm on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Union Hall in Mangilao.

Copies of the tentative agreement will be posted on GFT’s website www.gftunion.com.

“Hopefully the GEPB will vote on the contract at their next meeting, Feb. 22, after which it will be forwarded to the AG’s office for their review. GFT encourages all effected members to participate in this process,” the union statement adds. (PR)