Teachers and Government will sit down with an independent arbitrator on December 9 to hammer out a final pay deal.

The teachers' week-long strike ended earlier this month as they sought to get parity with other civil servants.

Yesterday, Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Terry Lister said the arbitration hearing would be chaired by lawyer Shirley Simmons but both the Education Department and the teachers had yet to name their representative.

He said: "They are taking their time. They need to get people confirmed by their membership but that's fine. We are OK with that."

Mr. Lister said he would be surprised if the hearing went beyond a week.

And Bermuda Union of Teachers General Secretary Michael Charles said: "I don't think it will be a long process because there is only one issue.

"We hope to prove our point. We have to be optimistic otherwise there is no use in going."