[caption id="attachment_1497" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Springfield Bargaining team L-R (from the back): Don King, Willy White, Joseph Perry, Mary Abeid-Pratt, Vivian Ann Kelly, Vanessa Merrit, Hellen Brown, Regional Rep. Angel Alvarez"][/caption]

Making use of a recent state law that has made it easier for public workers to seek collective bargaining rights, the 125 crossing guards in Springfield have signed cards saying they want to form a union.

With the hard work of Local 888 union organizers Deanne Dworski-Riggs and Christina Villafranco, the crossing guards were able to gain recognition from the state.