(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – All you have to do is read the ad the Buffalo Teachers Federation is running to see how far behind Public School Teachers are when it comes to pay and how long it takes them to reach their maximum salary, as well as how far behind those Educators are when it comes to comparing salaries with Teachers employed in Suburban School Districts.

Under the banner: Buffalo Teachers Deserve A Fair Contract, an accompanying web site (https://nysut-lp.com/fair-contract-now) states: For three years, the Buffalo School Board has been stonewalling Buffalo’s Teachers with insulting and demeaning contract offers.  This is how our City’s Teachers are rewarded for their dedication and commitment to our students.

An example of how long it takes a Buffalo Public School Teacher to reach his or her maximum salary is shown: Buffalo Teachers, 27 years; Other Teachers in Erie County, 21.7.

A second example of the comparable Step 1 salaries: In Buffalo, $39,531 vs. the average Big 6 Other New York Cities (New York City, Yonkers, Albany, Rochester and Syracuse) - $54,540.

The BTF, which represents 3,775 total Members, provided WNYLaborToday.com with a salary comparison involving all School Districts in Erie County to further illustrate the wide gaps in pay (see below).

While contract negotiations “have been ‘tough,’” according to BTF President Phil Rumore, the Buffalo School Board, with yet another new Superintendent at the helm, has opted to involve an independent fact finder, whose final results, Rumore adds, “are not binding on either side.”

On another front, the BTF has filed three Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) against the Buffalo School District, Rumore said.

“The (School) District ‘has been dragging its feet.’  ‘We’ve been in negotiations for awhile and it’s been tough, so we decided to turn up the heat because we are losing (Buffalo Teachers) to the suburbs (who are moving to Educator jobs with much better pay),’” BTF President Phil Rumore tells WNYLaborToday.com of the Union’s decision to go public with their grievances. 

“Our Teachers ‘are behind other area Teachers (when it comes to annual wages) and we want to make the public aware of how behind we are,’” said Rumore, making note the Buffalo School District is sitting on “many millions” (of dollars in) New York State funding, as well as national grant money that the BTF had assisted the Buffalo School District with securing in the past.

“They have a ‘huge’ surplus,” the BTF President said.

Other aspects of an expanded public campaign may include, Rumore said, having BTF-represented School Teachers picketing outside the homes of Buffalo School Board Members, as well as some other actions that the Union President declined to detail at this time.

“I ‘hope (new contract negotiations) get resolved, but our Teachers are getting angry,’” he said.  “We are ‘hoping it gets resolved before the new school year starts.’  ‘If not, Teachers won’t be happy, because they aren’t happy right now.’”