Real World

We get the government we deserve. Good thing for those public employee unions. Save the children! And my botox too.


Buffalo teachers still get free plastic surgery courtesy of taxpayers

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2012, 9:34 AM Updated: Thursday, January 19, 2012, 9:55 AM

By Geoff Herbert, syracuse.com




AP Photo/Ron HeflinCosmetic surgery, such as botox, is covered in a rider for Buffalo public school teachers.

Public school teachers in Buffalo can get botox, liposuction, hair removal, and various other nips and tucks from plastic surgeons -- all completely free. And taxpayers are footing the bill.

The Atlantic reports the perk is part of a self-insured rider in its teachers' contracts. There's no co-pay, so the school district pays for the cosmetic surgery procedures completely.

Though the bill was less than $1 million in 2004, the annual cost is now estimated at $5.4 million and, in 2009, teachers enjoyed $9 million worth of plastic surgery. The Buffalo News says nine out of 10 procedures were skin treatments that year, and 10 out of 10 were elective.


Buffalo teachers still get free plastic surgery courtesy of taxpayers | syracuse.com

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Real World

Teachers are paid poorly....we need more of them! Just not as much as we need those face lifts.



In August, the school board took heat for laying off 117 staff members and was asked to end the cosmetic surgery rider. At $5.4 million, it would've brought back at least 100 laid-off teachers. The Buffalo News reports the board instead agreed to table the discussion for a more comprehensive agreement with the next round of contract negotiations.

However, Buffalo's public teachers have been working without a new contract since the last one expired in 2004.

The Atlantic points out a 1982 New York state law known as the Triborough Amendment, which allows public employees to work under the last contract's terms, with all benefits included, gives them little incentive to agree to make any changes. The 2004 contract gives teachers a 2.5 percent annual salary increase plus the plastic surgery perk.


Seriously, and I've yet to have someone answer this question for me. Why can't an entity, or company, walk away from a union once the contract has expired? Two groups come together and forge an agreement via a contract with time and terms. Say it's a 5 year deal. The 5 years is up, they can agree to extend, and if an agreement can't be made, they go their separate ways. Why is this not the case when it comes to unions? Why would you want to negotiate a new deal when you're getting a 2.5% raise each year, at a time when the average houshold income has declined nearly $5k in the last 4 years, and you get all the plastic surgery you want, for free? Can someone answer this question for me? Shouldn't a company, or entity, be able to walk away once the contract expires? Why can't they?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Mrs.PatsFanInVa

That's a pretty old article, RW.

According to a much more recent one the teachers are quite willing to do away with the perk.


Report: Pricey perks for teachers | WIVB.com

Real World

Old eh? It's from this year. I guess the statute of limitations is shorter than I realized. Either way, you opt to defend that which is indefensible. What a surprise.

Anyway, back in the Real World...

"The urgency of negotiating a new contract isn't really there," Amber Dixon, interim-superintendent for Buffalo's schools, told The Atlantic. "You get to keep your benefits. You get to keep your cosmetic rider. You get to keep your 2.5 percent step increase. It makes getting back to the table difficult."

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Mrs.PatsFanInVa

Not at all. I defended nothing - I merely pointed out that the teachers have agreed to drop the coverage if and when the town ever decides to negotiate with them.

All I was trying to do was to point out, subtlely, of course, that you've obviously got an agenda you're trying to push with no current news to push it with. The article is 11 months old - it didn't show up in your Current News E-Mail, it wasn't a headline on an Internet site, it wasn't on the front page of any local or national newspaper - it was something you had to dig for - and there's no reason to dig for news about a union contract which hasn't been negotiated in almost 10 years unless you were looking to start an argument and there's nothing newer to base your hatred on.

I'd think, in the "Real World" that the town is equally at fault in not negotiating the contract. More so, in fact, since they're the ones losing money. Where's their urgency? And why isn't your anger directed at their compliancy in the non-negotiations?

PatriotsReign

The fact that the citizens of Buffalo ALLOWED their politicians to give "Free Plastic" surgery to teachers says a lot about the people of Buffalo.

I wouldn't let my town do that...nor would anyone else in my town. Just the idea is sickening. But to think they allowed that goes beyond human comprehension.

"FREE PLASTIC SURGERY"

Think about the pure insanity and idiocy of that!

Shame on the citizens of Buffalo and their teacher's union!

The above is what the focus of this conversation should be about. Not how old the news is. No wonder Buffalo is hesitant to go the table with them! They'll prolly say, "Well, since you're taking away free plastic surgery, we'd like to see that money evenly divided amongst us."

Real World

Hmmm...so where is your criticism then? That's right, you didn't offer any. There is not a single peep from you, about how propostrous it is for taxpayers to pay for a teachers ELECTIVE BOTOX.

You instead came in and said:

And then:

Nah, you're not defending them at all.

All you were trying to do is defend them. I get it. In your world, it's ok for taxpayers to pay for a teachers plastic surgery. The problem lies with me for posting an "old" article (if it were say from this year, oh no my bad, I mean like this month, then you would be upset about the plastic surgery ).

See, in the bizarro world of the Mrs, one can only post something if it is with 7 days of it's being reported, and the indefensible can be defended, if the posted content is 8 days old, or older.

I love that, "my hatred". ahahahahahaha....I guess people should love the fact that taxpayers are footing a multi-million dollar bill each year so that union teachers can get a face lift, an arse tuck, some implants, and Botox. ahahahahaha.....nah, you're not defending anything here.

Think about it for a second. I know this is going to be EXTREMELY difficult for you to understand, but do you think the teachers union is going to get better than a 2.5% annual increase on their pay, in a new contract? In this economy, where the average citizen household is making roughly $5,000 less than they did 4 years ago? Furthermore, look at Buffalo itself, where the population has declined over the years, and the local economy with it. Think a new deal will bring about more dough? Hell no. Thanks for shopping.


The teachers union is likely the ones who don't want to go to the table. They've got a sweet deal. Why seek a new one that will bring about publicity, and put a spot light on their terms? It's better to continue under the current agreement, and wait till the economy turns around to negotiate a new one. That's when people will be less focused on what the union seeks, and the city will have more cash to throw around. Never negotiate a deal when the condtions aren't in your favor. Commercial tenants, needs aside, don't come to me to negotiate an extension at the peek of the market, they do so at times like these when the market rates are down 30%.

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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Mrs.PatsFanInVa

Blaming it on the teachers might make sense if they were the only ones working without a contract for an extended period of time - but they're not.

The police and fire departments of Buffalo have been working without a contract since 2001.

So are various other city employees.

So, let's take all of that information - Teachers, Firefighers, Police Officers and other City Employees - none of whom have a current contract. What do they all have in common? Who's not negotiating with any of them?

I know - the City of Buffalo, New York.

(I highly doubt it's the fire department - they've not gotten a raise since 2001.)

Buffalo Firefighters, Police, Teachers Remain Without Contract | WKBW News 7: News, Sports, Weather | Buffalo, NY | Top Stories

Oh, and if you read the article - it appears that teachers are not the only ones who've got the free plastic surgery rider on their insurance.

For some reason The City seems to have given it to everyone they contract with.

Again - the fact that all three unions, Police, Fire and Teachers, received this specific perk points to it being something that the City offered - not something that the teachers sought.

Now maybe they should have turned it down back in the 1990's when it was first offered, I don't know - would you have? Does anyone turn down anything offered that might save them some money? Highly unlikely, I think.

But - like I said - they've all offered to forego it in a new contract deal - thus I fail to see why it's such an issue with you or why you're not angry with The City itself for refusing to take them up on their offer and meet in good faith and create new contracts with all four of those unions who've been working without one for more than a decade.

IllegalContact

define 'forego' ..... I am sure they are not leaving money on the table.....it sounds like they don't really want a contract (8 years) since the generosity with the no contract situation is quite nice.

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Mrs.PatsFanInVa

I was simply pointing out that the teachers are not the only empoyees of Buffalo who haven't had a new contract in over a decade. Neither have the police department or the fire department or other city employees.

So you can tell me that all of those people in all of these unions don't want a contract (even though the fire department has been without a raise since 2001) or you can tell me what they all have in common which might be preventing them from getting an new contract.

(Hint - think "City of Buffalo.")