Public school teachers have decided to place a six-month contract dispute in the hands of arbitrators.

This was revealed last night after more than 200 members of the Bermuda Union of Teachers met in CedarBridge Academy's cafeteria to discuss their future.

Teachers have been working without a contract since August 31 last year.

Talks, which had been taking place off and on since then, broke down last month after officials from the Education Ministry rejected the union's final proposal.

The proposal was believed to have been similar to that recently reached between Government and white collar workers.

Government and the Bermuda Public Service Association agreed to a raise of 2.98 percent for the next two years and several other benefits, including an extra day of leave.

Yesterday, BUT president Michael Charles said teachers wanted to know why they were being treated so differently from other civil servants.

"They wanted to know why there is such a disparity between teachers and civil servants with the same level of qualifications and why we cannot command the same respect, especially since the (Education) Minister speaks so highly of us publicly,'' he noted.

Mr. Charles -- who described yesterday's membership turnout as "very good, considering teachers came from workshops from various parts of the Island'' -- said teachers decided to go to arbitration for the sake of the students.

"They reluctantly followed that course because they don't want to disrupt the kids at this point,'' he explained. "Teachers felt we had enough disruptions this school year. They acted in the interest of the children.'' Government's Labour Relations Officer Glenn Fubler was in the process of selecting arbitrators, Mr. Charles said.

Both sides will be allowed to make recommendations on the selection.

"Hopefully, we will be able to sit down next week and put our case before the arbitrators and get a fair adjudication,'' he added.

UNIONS UNS