MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 19, 2022

Subject:     Updates

Snow Days
The current school calendar includes four (4) “snow days”, days when students are not in attendance. Today does not count as a “snow day” as student instruction is taking place.

Should the number of days of required student attendance fall below the minimum required for state aid, the District agrees that it will first use Superintendent’s days not designated as exam grading days as make-up days if possible. If additional make-up days are necessary, the District will then use spring recess as make-up days and only if absolutely necessary to comply with NYS Law and NYSED Regulations (from MOU).

Thus far, we have apparently used three (3) “snow days”. We are unsure of the designation for the day before Thanksgiving. There is the possibility of using the two (2) Superintendents Conference days. We will work with the District and State to prevent the loss of recess days.

The many side streets in Buffalo are still clogged with snow and vehicles.

Snow banks are over four (4) feet in many places, clearly a hazard, especially for our students.

The correct action was taken in having students taught virtually.

School Safety
The BTF Council of Delegates passed the attached motion unanimously. (Click Here)

As you can see, it calls for action on many of the critical school safety issues. The resolution will be forwarded to those mentioned on it.

We will be surveying schools to see if the District is cooperating with us.

Negotiations
We are scheduled to meet at City Hall tomorrow with our and the District’s financial experts. We, while there may be some differences, will clarify our understanding of the District’s financial position.

We will be exchanging some financial/salary proposals to get a start on what is obviously a major issue.

Some issues:

• Salaries based on the average of the “Big 5” (excluding Buffalo)
• Reduction of Steps
• Salaries increased by Consumer Price Index
• Increase BS and MS beyond +30
      and many more.
  
  

School Safety/Security Officers
We are continuing to hear of the lack of security officers in schools. With all the violence via social media, etc., we can’t take chances.

Please notify your LRS (Click Here) and BTF This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of security issues.

If there is no improvement within a reasonable time, re-notify us.

2021 Union Dues
For tax purposes, the breakdown of union dues paid is available (Click Here). Note that BTF dues have not increased since the 2018-2019 school year.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          January 19, 2022

Subject:     Updates

Negotiations Update
As per our January 19, 2022 email, our financial analyst from NYSUT and the District’s Chief Financial Officer met with both teams and clarified our respective analyses. Some minor changes will be made and we will continue to work with Albany and the District to secure more funding. The District is in an excellent financial position, mostly thanks to our support.

We continued to clarify to which lesser cost items we had agreed.

As per our January 10, 2022 email, there were meetings on January 11, 14, 20 and meetings scheduled for January 25 and 26, 2022 with an “agreement to proceed expeditiously toward a settlement”. At our last January 20, 2022 negotiations, we agreed to add January 31, February 4, 11, 2022 to the dates.

We will continue to keep you informed. We will not rush into an agreement.
Note: An apparent attempt to enlist the support of the public with a letter to the Editor in The Buffalo News, from a teacher, has caused just the opposite. If you read the comments to the letter and have heard some of the comments in phone calls, etc. to BTF, just the opposite has occurred.

In addition, saying that there hasn’t been “any movement on a contract” (when as in our January 10 & 19, 2022 correspondence to teachers, we indicated there was movement), has not helped our negotiations and the support of the Board.

While we believe the intentions of the writer were intended to gain support, letters like these at this time do not help with the public or District.

When the time comes to go public and slam the District, we will.

Rather than just paint a picture of the cost-of-living for Buffalo teachers (which is the same for most) and Buffalo teachers’ wages, we will point to the salaries of those around us and the raises given in the past and proposed for District City Hall Administrators. (Those who have called have said “You get raises each year. We don’t.”)

Negotiations, like other such issues, are like a chess game. You must think five (5) or more moves ahead.

While the intentions of the teacher were well intended, they have caused issues.

Please, especially in public, think five to ten moves ahead. Make no mistakes that may weaken your position or cause you to lose the game.

District Phone Calls to Teachers
Teachers who want to prevent District robo-calls can apparently stop them by using:

https://www.buffaloschools.org//cms/module/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=399

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          February 25, 2022

Subject:     McKinley Reminder

The BTF Council of Delegates passed the following motion:

Moved that, as a showing of support for teachers, students, staff and parents at McKinley High School, teachers will wear orange or orange and black on Monday, February 28, 2022, the day all students are to return to in-person learning

MOVED: Philip Rumore
SECOND: Rebecca Pordum

This assumed students and staff would be reporting on Monday, February 28, 2022. Even if they don’t, let’s still wear orange. We can also do so on the day they all return.

Thank you for your solidarity and support.

Please take no chances.

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          February 25, 2022

Subject:     A Must Read

From: Mckinley macks
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2022 3:09 PM
To: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mr. Petrucci and the esteemed members of the BPS Board of Education,

Please go to the following web address to get the whole story on what has happened at McKinley High School. Marckabraham.com

Dr. Cash's actions are unforgivable, and his time at the helm of BPS must come to an end if we hope to ever provide a quality education for our students.

Thank you.

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          February 25, 2022

Subject:     Updates – School Security, Negotiations, Masks

School Safety
We have heard that the mayor and others are taking issue with our decision calling for a New York State and Federal investigation of school safety in Buffalo.

Some are saying it is not productive. What’s not productive is attempting to address dangerous school safety issues with the District for years, by informing them of dangerous conditions, filing grievances, and taking other legal actions.

The results of our efforts… violence and school safety go unaddressed and get worse. Thus we see what happened at McKinley, a school that we have been sounding the alarm on for years.

What do they have to hide?

We are beginning to compile a list of State and Federal agencies/people to secure one or several investigations.

As they arise, please continue to forward serious safety issues to us, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We will, while keeping them anonymous, be forwarding them to the media where applicable. Please ensure that an administrator has been made aware of the issue.

The stress that you are already under is horrendous. We will not accept the additional burden of fearing for one’s (including students’) safety and well-being.

This incident wasn’t a wakeup call. It was a call for immediate action.

Thank you for your continued support and strength.

Negotiations
We are making some progress with the minor cost issues.

Today, the District provided a copy of their cost analysis of the cost of our salary proposal, which we are reviewing.

Due to yesterday’s tragic events, instead of them presenting a comprehensive package today, they will do so at our next session on Thursday, February 17, 2022.

As always, details of “agreeds” are not publicized by either side to avoid negotiating in the public. Also nothing is final until there is a final agreement.

We will keep you up to date. If necessary, we will go public.

Mask Survey
PLEASE, if you haven’t done so, complete our Mask Survey. The last time to have your voice heard is tonight, February 11, 2022 at 11:59 pm.

(Link Removed)

There is just one question that will only take a minute to complete.

Remember, if you don’t vote, someone will be voting for you.

Thank you.

Please stay well. Take no chances.

PR:su

MEMORANDUM

Memo To:    All Buffalo Teachers

From:          Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:           March 1, 2022

Subject:     Mask Mandates

On February 14, 2022, we reported the results of the BTF survey of teachers on the “Mask Mandate in Buffalo Public Schools”. The results were as follows:

55.43% (1139)   “I support requiring masks in the Buffalo Public Schools until the impact of COVID transmission as a result of our schools being closed during the mid-winter recess which includes February 19, 2022 to February 27, 2022 can be determined – usually two (2) weeks after the recess”.

40.10% (824)   “I support ending requiring masks in the Buffalo Public Schools immediately.”

4.48% (92)   “I have no position on when to end requiring masks in the Buffalo Public Schools.”

Some feel this was an unscientific survey. With over 2,000 teachers responding, we believe it is an accurate measure of your position at that time.

The vote supported keeping the mask mandate in place “until the impact of COVID transmission as a result of our schools being closed during the mid-winter recess which included February 19, 2022 to February 27, 2022 can be determined – usually two (2) weeks after the recess.” That is what is being done by the District; therefore when asked about the position of the BTF, that is what was conveyed to the media.

Although “usually two (2) weeks after the recess” is stated, we will again be surveying you, next week, to determine your position on this issue.

While there are strong positions on this issue, it is you, Buffalo teachers, who determine the position of the BTF.

As always, while we may disagree with others, as teachers, we respect the position of others.

Thank you for your continued solidarity and support.

PR:su