Hilton workers approve new deal as strike continues in 11 more hotels

Striking unionists reached an agreement Saturday to return to work in four hotels in downtown Hilton, while negotiations seem to have hit a wall with some of the other 11 hotels where the work stoppage has entered its fourth week.

Unite Here Local 1 has now approved contracts with 15 of the 26 hotels affected at the height of the strike, which began on Sept. 7 and had up to 6,000 housekeepers, waiters, cooks and doormen.

"We look forward to welcoming our team members to work at Palmer House, the DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Magnificent Mile, the Hilton Chicago and the Drake," said a Hilton spokeswoman. in an email.

Union says new deal "will ensure hotel workers will maintain health care if they are fired in winter" – a major point of disagreement in negotiations for striking workers who sought health care all year.

Under the previous workers' contract, which expired at the end of August, they could be classified as full-time employees, but lost benefits if they were fired during the winter months. .

"Around 3,500 hotel workers are covered by new collective agreements that guarantee health care during the winter," union officials said in a statement.

Workers remain on the picket line in 11 hotels, including two Hyatt properties.

On Saturday morning, Hyatt officials said they had asked a federal mediator to oversee their negotiations with the union, which they said would have "backed down in their positions and added unacceptable new proposals" at a meeting on Friday.

"Hyatt continues to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement. Unfortunately, the union did not share this goal, "said Michael D'Angelo, Hyatt's vice president of labor relations, in a statement. "Hyatt has accepted the same pay and benefits increases and extended the health care that the union has accepted with other hotels. The union remains uncooperative, demonstrating once again that it does not want to reach an agreement. "

A strike is also possible at the Park Hyatt hotel, the union said.

Workers are also looking for pay raises and increased job security, among other benefits.

Most affected hotels remained open while the work stoppage occurred during the end of Chicago's busy summer season.

Here is where the strike continues:
Chicago Ambassador
Cambria Magnificent Mile
Crowne Plaza Chicago-Metro Hotel
Hampton Inn / Homewood Suites Magnificent Mile
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
Chicago Inn
Kinzie Hotel
Warwick Allerton
Wyndham Grand

Here's where hotel employees signed new contracts to return to work:
Allegro Hotel
Hotel Palomar
Sheraton
W City Center
W Lakeshore
Westin Michigan Avenue
Westin River North
JW Marriott
Blake Hotel
Millennium Knickerbocker
Ritz-Carlton Chicago
Drake Hotel
Hilton Chicago
House Palmer
Doubletree Chicago Magnificent Mile

Here is where the union says that "there could be a strike at any time":
Fairmont Chicago
Hotel Raffaello
Park Hyatt Chicago
Tremont Chicago Hotel at Magnificent Mile

Disclosure Notice: Some labor organizations have stakes in Sun-Times Media, including the Chicago Federation of Labor. Unite Here Local 1 is affiliated with the CFL.