by Nick Delgado

Guam - An investigation is underway into the filings at the Department of Revenue & Taxation for the Guam Federation of Teachers' constitution and bylaws. The controversy comes on the heels of union members seeking ways to impeach president Matt Rector.

When it rains, it pours for the GFT, as they may face an issue that can result in their business license actually being taken away. Concerns have been raised in recent weeks about how union president Matt Rector has been running the GFT. KUAM News has obtained copies of the constitution and bylaws during Rector's first term as president as well as a recent amended version filed last October.

The new version extends the term for union officers by an additional year from two to three years, and bumps up the election day from April to February of an election year - in this case, February of this year. Questions have been raised about the changes now that rector has filled the seat for the past seven years.

Rector told KUAM News, "I don't make any changes to anything, the membership makes changes to the constitution. If anyone wants to change it and they have great ideas, they can put them to the membership and there's a process on how to make changes to the constitution in the constitution."

Union member Barbara Salas is part of the small group of teachers that have raised concern about rector's presidency. "I feel we are working with the union, the union is not working with us and I can easily say work with the teachers that are involved with this issue," she noted. She is hoping to find out what's going on during tomorrow's membership meeting, adding, "I'm hoping that the truth comes out, I'm hoping that when we ask the questions we're not given this run around and accusations of not being at the meetings not being an active member."

Also hoping to get some answers is the Department of Revenue & Taxation where like GFT other non-profit organizations have to file their bylaws and financial statements with the Business License Division. Rev & Tax Director Art Ilagan confirms that the latest version of the constitution submitted in October has prompted an investigation, as the document does not include the signatures of the executive council members and only has the signature of Rector.

Ilagan continued, "Filings of these bylaws probably have not been processed properly, and what were going to do is when the supervisor of the Business License Branch comes in, I'm going to have him look at these amended bylaws."

As for concerns from union members, Rector stated, "I appreciate people wanting to get involved with their union, but they should be involved helping to grow the union and win things." The president adds that he is not worried, as he feels the GFT filed all documents properly.

He also feels that any investigation into the union by Rev & Tax is a waste of time.