Dear Families,
We want to begin this message by saying a heartfelt thank you to the parents of LEF who continue to stand in solidarity with educators. Your support, questions, and commitment to truth and transparency have been powerful. Most recently, one of you took the initiative to gather important facts and, together with a group of parents, clarified a message that impacts us all.
On June 25, LEF Executive Director Peter Frampton posted a letter to Storypark stating:
“We have learned that in 2025, the funding envelope includes The Provincial Wage Grant, which we will be able to use towards increases both ECE and ECA wages (retroactively to January 1st) by $2-per hour. We have notified CUPE of this and await a Letter of Understanding that is required to move forward.”
This letter left many families with more questions than answers. Thankfully, several parents reached out directly to CUPE 5575 — and here’s what was clarified:
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What Parents Should Know
✅ The Provincial Wage Enhancement Grant (PWEG) is not new.
LEF has received this provincial funding for years. It is not unique to 2025.
✅ This grant is administered by the City of Toronto, not negotiated with CUPE.
There is no requirement for a Letter of Understanding (LOU) with CUPE in order for LEF to move forward with distributing the $2/hour increase. They already have the authority to implement it.
✅ The wage grant is not connected to reversing the $2.32 wage cut.
The two are completely separate matters. Educators are still earning $2.32 less per hour than they were in August 2024. This cut has now been in place for over 9 months.
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A Timeline of Promises Without Action
• June 2024 – LEF informed parents of wage cuts, saying these decisions “do not represent LEF’s values.”
• September 2024 – After new funding announcements, LEF claimed “things are looking more positive” and their “goal remains” to reverse the cuts.
• October 2024 – LEF stated that reversing the wage reduction was a “priority.”
• May 2025 – After months of silence, parents learned — only by reaching out directly — that the wage cut had not been reversed.
• June 25, 2025 – LEF linked the new wage grant to progress, even though it does not address the original $2.32/hour cut.
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Educators Deserve Better. So Do Families.
Educators are the backbone of early learning. They show up for our children every day — and yet for nearly a year now, they’ve been working for less.
As parents and community members, we know our children thrive when their caregivers feel respected and supported. It’s unacceptable that LEF continues to delay action and provide unclear communication around an issue that affects the heart of their organization: their staff.
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What You Can Do
📣 We invite all families to send a message to LEF leadership asking them to reverse the $2.32 wage cut immediately.
💌 Send your message in 1 minute:
👉 https://www.justice4workers.org/lef
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With Deep Gratitude
To the parents who gathered this information, worked together to clarify the facts, and continue to speak out: thank you. Your advocacy matters — and it makes a real difference.
Together, we are building a stronger, more honest, and more caring community for our educators and for our children.
In Solidarity,
CUPE 5575
Parents as Partners
💌 With Heartfelt Thanks: A Shout-Out to Our LEF Parents 💌
Published: June 12, 2025
From: CUPE 5575
As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child — and it sure takes a powerhouse of parents to stand with educators. We want to take a moment to offer our deepest gratitude to all the incredible parents who have rolled up their sleeves, stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and continued to light the path forward in our fight for fairness at LEF.
Over the last few months, parents haven’t just been cheering from the sidelines — they’ve been in the game. From attending meetings, sharing resources, and offering creative ideas, to helping amplify the voices of frontline workers — our families have been nothing short of inspiring.
👣 Steps Taken Together
At our May 6 parent meeting, we were blown away by how parents dove into the issues with heart and insight. Together, we unpacked the latest updates from the bargaining table, especially around the concerning wage cuts to ECEs and ECAs. We also explored how parents could take action — and wow, did they ever!
From signing and sharing the “Justice for Workers” petition to rocking support buttons at drop-off, parents have been wearing their solidarity loud and proud. Some even committed to showing up on bargaining day to deliver the petition in person — talk about walking the talk!
🎈 Highlights:
• Discussing how workload and staffing issues affect both educators and children.
• Planning creative outreach through birthday parties, group chats, and Facebook groups.
• Spotting the real-life impacts of turnover — and asking the hard questions about transparency and support.
🧩 Piecing It All Together
By the June 3 meeting, parents were thinking big. They brainstormed ideas to welcome new families gave shout-outs for ECE Appreciation Day, and dug deeper into the stress caused by staffing instability — with kids being moved around like volleyballs between rooms. Parents voiced how jarring this is for children, and how crucial clear communication and transitions are.
We also shared how misleading messages around the wage cut rollback created confusion. Many families were told it was reversed — when, in fact, that hasn’t happened yet.
💬 Key Topics Covered:
• Lack of proper staff transitions = stress on kids
• Safety concerns in under-supported classrooms
• Challenges for children with special needs
• Workers staying extra hours, missing breaks, and feeling burnt out
• Need for more transparency and real-time communication from LEF
And let’s not forget: the petition was officially delivered — a bold and visible act of unity!
🛠️ What’s Next?
With more bargaining dates on the horizon — June 11, June 24, and into July — your ongoing support makes all the difference. Parents are also cooking up next steps: from posting on neighborhood groups to preparing questions for board meetings. Every small action creates a ripple.
We’re not out of the woods yet, but with parents like you walking beside us, we’re not just holding the line — we’re moving it.
✨ Thank you for being the wind at our backs. Together, we’re building something better — not just for workers, but for every child who walks through LEF’s doors.
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🔗 Stay Involved:
📝 Sign and share the petition for justice for LEF workers:
https://www.justice4workers.org/lef
In solidarity,
Executive committee
Bargaining committee
Comms Committee