The Buffalo Board of Education and the Buffalo Teachers Federation reached a tentative contract deal late Sunday. The school board is scheduled to vote Monday afternoon on a tentative contract finally sealed close to midnight Sunday evening. It would be the first labor agreement between the two sides since the last one expired 12 years ago.
Since then, both sides have said they wanted a new agreement but didn't get one, as they battled in court and in the state's Taylor Law process.
BTF President Phil Rumore tells WBFO News Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash present during the talks, helping everything to fall into place.
"That key that helped get this thing done was having the superintendent at the table, somebody that has the authority to make decisions and that greatly assisted," Rumore explained. "All of us would rather that all of the time that we spent negotiating, preparing for negotiations and all of this could be better served talking about how we can improve the education of our kids. I look forward to working with the superintendent and the district. Let's get that done. That's the most important thing we have to do right now."
The Buffalo School District issued after 11 p.m. Sunday issued by Nathaniel Kuzma, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Director of Labor Relations:
"Tonight, the District and the BTF reached a tentative agreement on a successor contract. That agreement will be presented to Board of Education at the special board meeting tomorrow for ratification. The Buffalo Teachers Federation is planning to present the tentative agreement to their membership tomorrow night as well. Through an agreement with the BTF, both parties will keep the details confidential until the package is presented to the board in full tomorrow night."
Rumore noted it is time to move forward with a new agreement.
"It is very significant that we finally have reached agreement on a new contract. Hopefully, the board will ratify it and the teachers, I believe, will. But, now we can start talking about how we can better improve the education of our students rather than talking about contracts and negotiations," Rumore remarked.
The two sides aren't releasing details of what's in the pact until the school board meets in a special session at 4 p.m. Monday. The BTF membership meets at 6 p.m. to talk and vote, though Rumore said that vote won't occur until the board has approved the agreement.
