Activating the HEAT SYSTEM
Summer 2025Heading to the bargaining table, there is nothing more important than having an organized, engaged membership that is unafraid to mobilize and fight for what they deserve. That’s why we’ve started to recruit the next generation of HEAT CAPTAINS and assemble HEAT TEAMS across every NYC hotel.
The HEAT SYSTEM, which stands for Hotel Employees Action Team, is our union’s network for communicating with our membership and mobilizing in large numbers to protect and strengthen our union.
Our union created the HEAT SYSTEM in the lead up to the 2006 industry-wide negotiations. As the hotel industry watched over 90% of our members join a HEAT TEAM, wear their HEAT pins on the job, and share information from bargaining, they became steadily more convinced that our union would – and could – fight if pushed to do so. In large part because of the HEAT SYSTEM, we came out of those negotiations with the strongest hotel contract in the world – without a strike.
After the contract was won, HEAT transformed into a permanent system for mobilizing our members and building the union’s power. HEAT has played a key role in transforming our union from one with little involvement in politics into one of the most powerful players in New York City politics.
In preparation for contract negotiations next year, our union is once again identifying HEAT CAPTAINS at every hotel. HEAT CAPTAINS, in turn, are signing up groups of 10-15 coworkers (HEAT TEAMS), who they will be responsible for communicating with about negotiations, bringing to union events and actions, and engaging to do the work needed to win the next contract.
Each HEAT TEAM consists of 10-15 union
members and is led by a HEAT CAPTAIN.
March with your union at the Labor Day Parade
NEW YORK CITY
Saturday, September 6th at 9AM | W 44th Street & 5th Ave
HTC President Rich Maroko will be the Co-Grand Marshal of NYC’s Labor Day Parade this year. NYC is home to over 600,000 union members, and every year tens of thousands of members and their families march in the parade to show their solidarity across trades, crafts and locals. With one year until the expiration of our master contract in New York City, march with our union and show the industry we are ready to fight for what we deserve!
NEW JERSEY
Friday, September 5th at 4PM | 920 Broad Street, Newark
Every year, HTC brings its energy to the Newark Labor Day Parade. This year, there’s lots to celebrate – including winning our 100th GRIWA contract (right in Newark, at the DoubleTree Newark Airport)! Scan the QR code above to join your union at the Newark Labor Day Parade on Friday, September 5th!
Meet our HEAT Organizers
Our union’s HEAT Organizers build the union’s power by teaching our members about the threats our union faces and mobilizing our members to tackle them head-on.
For the last 20 years, HEAT has been turning out member volunteers to build our union’s political influence, pass laws to protect our jobs and grow our bargaining power, and address threats to hotel workers and their working class communities like illegal hotels.
Heading into the 2026 contract fight, our HEAT Organizers are laser-focused on identifying members in every shop to step up and lead as HEAT CAPTAINS.
Before joining our staff, many HEAT Organizers were hotel and casino workers themselves. They were active volunteers and effective delegates, who gave up their union jobs to work long hours and weekends because they believe in the mission of our union and want to be part of changing the lives of hospitality workers for generations to come.
Antonio Codita
Director of Political Mobilization“Now more than ever, it’s the time to show the hotel industry just how united and powerful our membership truly is.”
Lydia Diana
Senior HEAT Supervisor“Power isn’t given, it’s built. And when we build it together, there’s nothing we can’t win.”
Tyrone Connell
Senior HEAT Supervisor"In the words of Kendrick Lamar: 'Got my foot up on the gas, somebody gotta do it.'”
Njomza Dubovci
Senior HEAT Supervisor“When we fight, we WIN!”
Beatriz Torres
Senior HEAT Organizer“We won a strong contract in 2006 because our members were informed and ready to fight. It’s up to us to do this again."
Ivelisse Mercedes
Senior HEAT Organizer“We’re fighting for stability, dignity, and security, not just for right now, but for generations to come.”
Lilian Uribe
Senior HEAT Organizer“Once you learn the power of this contract, you’ll do what I’ve done – you’ll fight for it.”
Juana Velez
Senior HEAT Organizer“We have the power to do what it takes. So let’s get it done.”
Corina Baicu
HEAT Organizer“The contract we have is the best in the world. Every one of us needs to be ready to fight to protect what we have.”
Zumreta Pupovic
Rank-and-File Organizer“I love what I do. I love what the union does for its members.”
Romario Rodriguez
Rank-and-File Organizer“Nobody is going to do the work for us. It has to be us.”
Johanny Tejeda
Rank-and-File Organizer“This union changed my life. I’m ready to pay it forward.”