From the Massachusetts Nurse Newsletter
November/December 2008 Edition
The MNA’s Division Of Legislation And Governmental Affairs is excited to announce the hiring of Nicholas Jolly as associate director/ Region 4 community organizer. Jolly replaces Charlene Richardson, who recently joined the MNA’s division of nursing as an educator. “We are very excited to be bringing Nick’s experience to the MNA,” said Andi Mullin, director of the legislative division. “We think he is extremely well-positioned to build on the great work that Charlene did in Region 4.”
Jolly comes to the MNA with considerable experience as a volunteer union leader and organizer. While a student at the Massachusetts College of Art, he took a part time job as a security guard at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). The security guards at the MFA were in a union, but it was very inactive and passive. Within six months, he was elected head steward of the Museum Independent Security Union and, after that, was elected president.
While president, Jolly waged a high profile and very successful battle with the museum’s management over wages and health insurance for part-time members. Just as impressively, he was able to revitalize the entire union. He began aggressively enforcing the contract and filing grievances for management violations that had previously been ignored. He used innovative strategies that resulted in the repeal of 70 percent of all disciplinary actions pursued by management.
Jolly also recruited members to fill longstanding leadership positions in the union, and even created new positions to get more members involved. He used the press, contacts with other unions and elected officials to pressure the museum management on bargaining issues. By the time Jolly left his job at the museum, he had created a vital and aggressive union that stood up for its members and won important wage and benefit concessions. “I am very excited about coming to work at the MNA,” Jolly said.
“I am particularly impressed with the MNA’s focus on empowering members to work with elected officials, other unions, and the community to achieve goals. I am looking forward to making a significant contribution to that effort.”
Jolly will be based out of the Region 4 office in Peabody. He can be reached by e-mail, njolly@mnarn.org or by phone, 978.977.9205.
“
