ALBANY, N.Y. Aug. 9, 2016 — New York State United Teachers President Karen E. Magee today released the following statement following a ruling by the Public Employment Relations Board that the since-deposed Buffalo Board of Education majority bargained in bad faith by regressing in contract negotiations.
“Phil Rumore has been a lion in fighting for students and his members in the Buffalo Teachers Federation. He has consistently kept the needs of the city’s school children at the forefront, even as he has advocated strenuously for a fair agreement that reflects the challenges and demands facing Buffalo educators. PERB’s ruling — won with the unwavering support and expertise of NYSUT’s legal team — reinforces the importance of good-faith negotiations. Moving forward, we hope PERB’s decision can serve as a springboard to a fair contract that is good for the city, good for BTF members and, most of all, supports the teaching and learning that will help Buffalo city schools thrive. After 12 years, it’s about time.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.