MEMORANDUM
Memo To: All Buffalo Teachers
From: Philip Rumore, President, BTF
Date: January 28, 2020
Subject: Updates
Solidarity with BPS Football Teams
As you know from the media and BTF emails, our football teams were to be excluded from the Erie County Interscholastic Conference (ECIC).
I am not going to go into the reasons as you know, as well as I, the real reasons.
Thanks to the BTF’s and the District’s threats of legal action, the decision has been rescinded/delayed.
We will be working with the District, parents, community organizations, etc. to ensure that none of our teams, or other student organizations, are excluded from competing.
The following motion was passed by the BTF Council of Delegates (Click Here).
As a demonstration of solidarity and support for our football teams, we are distributing “Support BPS Football” stickers for each teacher. We ran out but the remainder will be in schools by Wednesday,
January 29th. If you want some extras, call or come to BTF headquarters. Please call first, if you are coming to BTF headquarters, to make sure we still have some available.
We are asking that all teachers display or wear their “Support BPS Football” sticker on BTF Solidarity Day, Friday, January 31st.
We are also distributing small football stickers that you can place on your lanyard or elsewhere.
We can not and will not allow this to stand whether it is our football teams or any other exclusionary action against any students.
Sick Leave Actions by Some Administrators
In the last few weeks, BTF has been receiving copies of letters/memoranda from building administrators that have been served on teachers regarding the number of sick leave days/absences the teacher has utilized during this school year. The letters/memoranda have not been isolated to one school, or one particular administrator. Instead, it appears that building administrators are acting at the direction of the District.
In many cases, these letters/memoranda have threatened the teacher with disciplinary action if the particular teacher’s attendance doesn’t “immediately improve”. In each case, the letters/memoranda have set arbitrary levels for the number of absences that are deemed acceptable or “excessive”.
BTF has already filed a Federation Grievance (BTF Grievance 19-076) challenging what appears to be the District’s attempt to unilaterally implement a time and attendance policy with hard and fast numbers of absences that teachers are allowed to have before being subject to counseling or discipline. BTF is also in the process of drafting an Improper Practice charge which will be filed with the NYS Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), as time and attendance policies are designated mandatory subjects of negotiation, and must be negotiated with BTF prior to any implementation. Unilaterally instituting such a policy without negotiation is a violation of the NYS Taylor Law.
BTF is asking that any teacher who has or does receive a letter or memorandum similar to what is described above send a copy of this memorandum to the BTF office to the attention of Rob Mueller, Labor Relations Specialist This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will not use your name with the District.
PR:ls