THE H.E.A.T. SYSTEM

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A GUIDE TO OUR UNION'S H.E.A.T. SYSTEM

A union is only as strong as its members are well-organized and united.

In 2006, in preparation for our citywide contract negotiations, the 27,000 members of the New York Hotel Trades Council came together under a new rank-and-file leadership organization which we call the H.E.A.T. SYSTEM ("H.E.A.T." stands for "Hotel Employees Action Team").

During the 2006 contract fight, over 90% of the members of our union joined H.E.A.T. teams, more than 2,700 members worked as H.E.A.T. Captains and about 350 as H.E.A.T. Network Leaders. Largely because of the success of the H.E.A.T. System, we won the best Industry-Wide Agreement in our union's history. The H.E.A.T. System is now a permanent part of our union, and every good union member is expected to participate in and support the functioning of the H.E.A.T. System.

The H.E.A.T. System is an excellent way, not only for union members to participate more in the union, but also for the union to make the most of our members' talents, ideas, and energy.

Network Leaders and Shop Networks

The H.E.A.T. System consists of hundreds of H.E.A.T. SHOP NETWORKS throughout all the shops in our union. These networks are coordinated by H.E.A.T. NETWORK LEADERS. The Network Leaders are trained member-activists in our union who have agreed to commit substantial amounts of their personal time to work as volunteer organizers to help make the union stronger. Network Leaders are appointed by the President of the union.

H.E.A.T. Teams

Each H.E.A.T. Shop Network consists of smaller units known as H.E.A.T. TEAMS. Each H.E.A.T. Team is built around one union member, the H.E.A.T. CAPTAIN, who is also appointed by the President of the union and who has agreed to, and signed, the terms of the H.E.A.T. CAPTAIN COMMITMENT form.

H.E.A.T. Team

H.E.A.T. Network

Each H.E.A.T. Captain serves as the leader of his or her H.E.A.T. Team. Each H.E.A.T. Team consists of approximately 5 to 10 union members. The members of the H.E.A.T. Team are selected by union representatives and the H.E.A.T. Shop Network Leader, in consultation with the H.E.A.T. Captain.

Community Networks

Each Network Leader is also assigned to communicate regularly with a group of approximately 50 union members who live in his or her local neighborhood. This group is known as a H.E.A.T. COMMUNITY NETWORK. The purpose of the Community Network is to increase our members' participation in the political life of their communities, to be better informed, and to bring union power into the community to influence important local decisions that affect the union, our members, and our families.

The NYHTC Assembly

In May 2009, the union established a new advisory leadership body known as the NEW YORK HOTEL TRADES COUNCIL ASSEMBLY. The NYHTC Assembly consists of all the H.E.A.T. Network Leaders (who make the one-year volunteer commitment) and selected elected union officers and union staff.

The NYHTC Assembly meets quarterly to help the union leadership develop and execute a strategic plan for external and internal organizing, and political action, in order to preserve and increase our "union density" (i.e., the percentage of the hotel industry in the New York City area that is unionized), which is the fundamental measure of the union's strength and bargaining power.

The NYHTC General Convention

Occasionally, the President of the union will convene a large gathering of elected and appointed leaders of the union to discuss subjects of great importance. For example, in both 2004 and 2006, contract committee conventions were held to make decisions about the union's strategy for the 2006 contract fight. Those conventions were great successes, and played a vital part in the union's victory.

Future gatherings of this type will be called the NYHTC GENERAL CONVENTION. The NYHTC General Convention will consist of the elected officers of the Hotel Trades Council, selected staff, the H.E.A.T. Network Leaders, the H.E.A.T. Captains, and other persons appointed by the President of the union.

H.E.A.T. Supervisors

In addition to a Business Agent who is assigned by the union to represent you in the handling of grievances, and to enforce the contract in your shop, you are also represented by another union staff person, a trained union organizer, called a H.E.A.T. Supervisor. Your H.E.A.T. Supervisor coordinates the work of the H.E.A.T. System in the H.E.A.T. DISTRICT in which your shop is located. It's the H.E.A.T. Supervisor's job to build and strengthen the unity and militancy of the union's membership.

Internal Organizing

The fundamental purpose of the H.E.A.T. System is INTERNAL ORGANIZING. This means communicating with and educating the members of our union about our union. H.E.A.T. Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains are rank-and-file internal union organizers.

At any given time, we have approximately 27,000 members. Some of our members are stronger and better informed than others. Some understand better than others how much our members, and their families, depend on the strength of the union. That strength depends on our unity and militancy - the breadth and depth of our members' support for the union.

To negotiate good contracts, to win grievances against management, to protect the interests of hotel workers when important decisions are being made by politicians, we need the power that comes from being able to mobilize our great numbers.

It takes strong dedicated rank-and-file leaders who are willing to take the time to patiently build and maintain the union's strength.

Contract Negotiations

The Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains, together with union officers and staff members, are on the union's CONTRACT COMMITTEE. When the union is preparing for contract negotiations, the Contract Committee plays an important role in helping to formulate the union's contract demands, in communicating with the membership, and in mobilizing the membership for a possible contract fight.

As members of the Contract Committee, the Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains also attend many of the negotiating sessions in person, and assist the union negotiators.

Watching Management

It's also important to keep our eyes on management - not just during contract negotiations, but all the time. Our members are usually the first ones to know what management is up to, or planning. Members should always notify their union Delegate or Assistant Delegate about grievances and contract violations. But if management does something that might affect the strength of the union or the unity of our membership, the Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains should also be notified. It's their job to make sure the union leadership is aware of such situations.

Strong Action

The H.E.A.T. System enables the union to MOBILIZE the membership better, whenever strong action is necessary. In preparation for contract negotiations, the H.E.A.T. System helps get the members ready for any possible strike. For example, the Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains will get the members signed up for picketing schedules well in advance of a strike. They will also identify and recruit members for special jobs during a strike.

If necessary, to pressure management to negotiate in good faith, Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains will know how to organize their networks and teams for different kinds of actions inside and outside the shops, such as delegations and petitions to management, rallies, and other concerted activities.

At other times, the H.E.A.T. System will mobilize members for action to help resolve important grievances, to support fellow members in other shops, and to show solidarity and support for non-union hotel workers fighting to organize their hotels, as well as workers in other unions. In short, the H.E.A.T. System is designed to make it easier for our union to use the power we have from our large numbers to turn up the HEAT on management.

Organizing The H.E.A.T. Teams

If the H.E.A.T. System is new to your shop, H.E.A.T. Supervisors, Business Agents, and other union staff will be contacting potential Network Leaders and H.E.A.T. Captains to sign up for the H.E.A.T. System and to decide which union members should be asssigned to each H.E.A.T. Team.

It's the job of the Network Leaders to communicate with new union members and see that they are assigned to a H.E.A.T. Team. However, if you don't know who your Network Leader and H.E.A.T. Captain are, call the union and ask your H.E.A.T. Supervisor.

Activating Your H.E.A.T. Team

Once enough members have been assigned to your H.E.A.T. Team, it's also very important that you start getting your team activated. This means educating the members of your H.E.A.T. Team about the union and getting as many of them as possible to participate regularly in union activities.

Solidarity Points

SOLIDARITY POINTS are earned whenever union members attend qualified union events (such as rallies, picket lines, etc.) or do certain kinds of volunteer work for the union. These SOLIDARITY POINTS can be redeemed for prizes such as union T-shirts, sweatshirts, pins, jackets, pens, mugs, umbrellas, etc.

The members of any H.E.A.T. Team that attend a qualified union event together and meet or exceed the event's TEAM ATTENDANCE GOAL (as set for that event) will receive bonus SOLIDARITY POINTS.

H.E.A.T. Is Power

We are the strongest union for hotel workers in the world. We have the best contract for hotel workers anywhere, with the highest wages, and best benefits and working conditions. Our union has also long had a reputation for effective enforcement of our members' rights on the job.

But we can greatly increase our power and strength by doing a better job of organizing our members to participate in the union. That's what the H.E.A.T. SYSTEM is designed to do.

Your Union Is Counting On You

Never forget that the union is only as strong as its members. From now on, you should think of your H.E.A.T. Team as your responsibility. Whether you are a Network Leader, a H.E.A.T. Captain, or a H.E.A.T. Team member, it's your job to keep each other well-informed and active participants in your union.