MEMORANDUM

Memo To:   All Buffalo Teachers

From:         Philip Rumore, President, BTF

Date:          December 2, 2022 

Subject:    District Press Conference – Vote of No Confidence

District Press Conference
Teachers are rightly angered by the District’s Press Conference and their attempt to disparage teachers who have endured three (3) years of District delays, as well as insulting and demeaning contract offers.

We have advised the Superintendent and Board for months of this in correspondence dated:

Date:              Subject (RE:)
June 7, 2022         “ Apparent District Contempt for Buffalo Teachers ” (Click Here)

June 8, 2022         “ How Poorly You Are Treating Buffalo Teachers ” (Click Here)

August 19, 2022         “ How You are Hurting Buffalo Teachers and Their Families ” (Click Here)

August 26, 2022         “ October?? ” (Click Here)

BTF Objects to District Won’t Make Submissions to Fact-Finder until October

September 19, 2022         “ Negotiations/Threats ” (Click Here)

September 23, 2022         “ No Confidence Resolution ” (Click Here)

This advised that BTF authorized, by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee & Council of Delegates, to take a vote of No Confidence.

“ Therefore Be It Resolved: That if there is no proposed contract for ratification, there shall be an all teacher vote on the following motion on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, unless the BTF negotiating team, based on significant and important contract movement, needs an additional week or two.
‘As delineated in the above resolution, the Superintendent’s and Board’s negotiating team has delayed negotiations for over three (3) years, and presented Buffalo teachers with degrading and insulting proposals, harming them, their families and their students.
Buffalo teachers therefore vote no confidence in the Superintendent and Buffalo Board of education.’ ”

September 30, 2022 “ September 29, 2022 Correspondence ” (Click Here)

October 3, 2022 “ Contempt, Distortions and Duplicity ” (Click Here)

November 10, 2022 “ Negotiations ” (Click Here)

As for our proposed contract costing two (2) billion dollars for salaries:

• That is a lie.
• Even if it were true, that shows just how far Buffalo teachers are behind our colleagues in other districts.
• The District has about $300,000,000 in its reserves.
• We, have worked to increase funding for the District i.e., from 2021-2022 to 2023-2024 the District will receive an approximate $178,000,000 increase in what is called Foundation Aid. This will be carried forward. If not, we and other school districts can go directly back to court. Yes, it will obviously increase beyond this.

Rather than working to address the concerns sent in our correspondence to you, relating to the Vote of No Confidence, (the Superintendent & Board received copies), they held a press conference in an attempt to make Buffalo teachers look greedy and impatient. Note: They have not accepted our proposal to help students by capping caseloads of school counselors, social workers, psychologists, attendance teachers, etc. at 250:l instead of over 600:1 as in too many cases.

We are told that by holding such a press conference they believe teachers will be more accepting of their proposal at our December 8, 2022 negotiations and be hesitant to support a vote of No Confidence in the Superintendent and Board.

They also believe they will “divide and conquering” Buffalo teachers… not now not ever.

We have heard that some teachers have not received or checked their email regarding negotiations and the vote of no confidence. If they haven’t received it, please have them contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

If they have received it, please encourage them to vote to express their opinion.

The Deadline for Voting is Sunday, December 4, at 11:59 pm.

Please also advise teachers to check their mailboxes for BTF emails to keep up to date.

If there is no significant movement at our December 8, 2022 negotiating session, there will be another vote of no confidence. If there is significant movement, you will be so notified.

At the appropriate time, a vote to rescind the vote(s) of no confidence may, with Executive Committee and Council of Delegates’ approval, be taken.

Fact-Finder
There will be an in-person meeting with the PERB-appointed fact-finder on December 13, 2022, at which time both parties will present documents in answer to questions he may have. This is in addition to documents we have already submitted.
After that, he will issue a non-binding report on what he suggests for a new contract.

Thank you for your continued solidarity. You are the best … no, the very best.

CC: Dr. Tonja M. Williams, Superintendent, BPS
Member, Buffalo Board of Education
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