Public Employee Press


Retirements
Fighting for DC 37 members

After more than two decades of service to District Council 37 and Social Service Employees Union Local 371, Nola Brooker, director of the Professional Division, will be retiring.

Brooker began working for the city at NYC Health+Hospitals, where she was an active member of SSEU Local 371 and a union delegate. In 1978, she joined the staff of the local as an organizer and later became vice president of organizing.

Brooker joined the District Council 37 staff as a council rep and was assigned to Health Services Employees Local 768. She was then promoted to assistant director in the Research and Negotiations Dept. Moira Dolan, senior assistant director of the department, worked with Brooker for nine years.

"We developed the ability to finish each other's sentences. If one of us didn't know the answer the other did. This led to people confusing us, Nola or Moira, Moira or Nola, so we told people we were twins," said Dolan.

Brooker was promoted again and was named assistant director in the Professional Division and two years later became the director.

"I enjoyed being a rep more than anything because I was close to the members," said Brooker, whose father was a Teamster and took her to union meetings as a child.

"Nola taught me to say 'hello' more and to be aware when I was being too technical," added Dolan. "I love her!"

— Alfredo Alvarado