Dear fellow union members,
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of our longtime union friend and colleague, Cora. After dedicating 46 years (48 years if counting the strike years) of her life to teaching at Guam Department of Education, Cora has decided to retire at the end of this school year.
Cora receives the Living the Legacy Award for 40+ Years of Service
As we celebrate her retirement, we want to take a moment to honor Cora’s numerous accomplishments and contributions to our union and the community. Cora has been a GFT member for 46 years and has served in various positions, including steward, unit officer, and Secretary of the Executive Council.
Cora’s dedication to the union and her fellow members is exemplified by her attendance at the AFT Convention in San Diego three times, where she represented our union with pride. She also attended various training sessions on workmen’s compensation, sexual harassment, and other special laws at the University of California in San Jose.
Moreover, Cora has been a strong advocate for better working conditions for all union members. She participated in the Guam teachers’ strike in 1980-1981, demanding a 30% cost-of-living wage increase, and was elected to various positions in the teacher’s union. She served as a Union Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and currently holds the position of Secretary. She also served as a Union Representative to the Board of Education three times and was a GFT-GDOE CBA negotiator seven times.
Outside of her union work, Cora has volunteered her time to tutor Kurdish refugees to learn English and has served in various leadership positions in the Filipino community in Guam. She is a Diamond Lions Club member, teaches primary children at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and is a temple ordinance worker.
Cora has been a mentor to many teachers and union officers, and her contributions to our union and the community have been invaluable. We are forever grateful for her dedication and service to our union. We want to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude, and wish her all the best in her retirement.
Please join us in honoring Cora’s outstanding service to our union and in wishing her a happy and fulfilling retirement.
With heartfelt gratitude,
GFT Executive Council
