12 Kinzie Hotel employees return to work in River North after lockout ends, union says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Employees at the Kinzie Hotel are returning to work on Friday after a lockout, the workers' union said.

Taking to the sidewalk in front of River North's Kinzie Hotel, dozens of union workers rallied on Monday morning, protesting what they said was the illegal lockout of 12 employees who, last week, held informational pickets after their contract expired on Aug. 31.

Union leaders said the lockout was illegal because their members were not on strike. They called the Kinzie Hotel's actions "retaliatory," but hotel management said otherwise.

After a bargaining session between UNITE HERE Local 1 and the Kinzie Hotel on Thursday, the lockout ended. The parties worked through the night to reach a resolution, and the Kinzie Hotel will reinstate every locked out worker, the union said.

The locked out workers are returning to work starting Friday for their usual shifts.

UNITE HERE Local 1 represents over 15,000 hospitality employees across the city. Last month, the union ratified agreements with over 30 Chicago hotels.

In the bargaining session, the parties also finalized outstanding contract issues and came to a tentative agreement, pending union member ratification. If ratified, the new contract will be on par with the contracts ratified at 31 other Chicago hotels, providing a $25 per hour minimum for non-tipped workers, preserving workers' healthcare coverage, and strengthening their pensions, the union said. That ratification vote will take place on Sunday.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.