by Krystal Paco

Guam - The Department of Education is moving forward with assembling a negotiating team to begin dialogue with the Guam Federation of Teachers. The Guam Education Board during their meeting last month approved a motion to proceed to enter into collective bargaining negotiations with the GFT.

DOE superintendent Jon Fernandez said, "At our next meeting I anticipate the board of education approving our negotiating team I've let them know that I would like to be the chief negotiator and I will bring with me a team of people to sit down directly to discuss the items that are important."

Fernandez adds representatives of teachers and management will talk about what is best for students and try to design an agreement that meets not only the needs of the teachers but also serves the interest of all the children in the public school system. The last teacher negotiated collective bargaining agreement with GFT expired in November 2011.