The Guam Education Board sent President Matt Rector an Agreement to be signed upon implementing the extension of the Teachers’ contract, voted by the board on October 19, 2011. The agreement proposes “to extend the former collective bargaining agreement in its entirety, except for Article 5B9 and 7B.” President Rector responded to the board’s Chairman, Francis Santos, stating a number of reasons why this agreement cannot be signed and drafted an agreement that is both legal and in accordance with the Board’s motion. Read the Board's proposed agreement here
First, the proposed “Agreement” opposes to the motion passed by the Board on October 19, 2011: “to extend the current Board-union contract until August 1, 2012.” The current contract includes Article 5B9 on instructional time and scheduling and Article 7B which covers Transfers and Reassignments. However, with their agreement, they propose not to extend these sections. This means that the Board, at any time, can transfer a teacher that has worked at JFK for 20 years to Southern High and vice versa.
Second, GFT is concerned that this is a new proposal and that this new agreement violates not only the promises made by the board but the law.
Third, the proposed insertion of language that gives the GEB the authority to unilaterally change any of the provisions in the contract is contrary to the right of teachers granted by the legislature, the right to bargain collectively a mutually binding contract with respect to their working conditions. Imagine if that was the way all of DOE’s contracts worked with Sodexo, Xerox, or Advance Management? Would Sodexo continue to serve our children food if the Board could unilaterally decide that they also had to provide food for teachers, staff and management?
Fourth, teachers would much prefer to invest their time and energy in their students and working with DOE to improve the system, which is why they know how important their contract is, as opposed to having to spend their time and energy defending their rights.