The two-year collective bargaining agreement between public school teachers and the Education Ministry expired at midnight on Tuesday.

And Amalgamated Bermuda Union of Teachers organiser Mr. Milton Scott yesterday told The Royal Gazette the two parties were still negotiating a contract for the next two years.

"We're having ongoing meetings,'' he said. "The next meeting is scheduled for September 16.'' But Mr. Scott would not say what teachers are seeking in terms of salary increase or working conditions. And he refused to speculate on when he expected an agreement to be reached.

Under the old 1991-1993 contract, teachers received a 4.75 percent pay increase in the first school year and 4.77 percent the next year.

The agreement was reached when the talks, which broke down after 10 months of negotiations, were referred to Government's Labour Relations officer.