SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 21 (AP) - Unionized workers have reached an agreement with a group representing 14 luxury hotels to end an eight-week lockout, allowing about 4,000 maids, bellhops, cooks and other hourly employers to return to their jobs on Tuesday.þþThe workers went on strike at four hotels on Sept. 29 and were locked out at 10 others two days later. They agreed to end their strike last month, but the hotels said the lockout would continue until agreement was reached on a new contract.þþMayor Gavin Newsom said Saturday that the lockout would end but that contract negotiations would continue. þþMr. Newsom said negative publicity from the strike and the union's ability to extend health coverage while workers remained locked out were major factors in the hotel operators' change of heart.þþÿThey did the right thing,ÿ Mr. Newsom said. þþDespite the progress on Saturday, Mike Casey, president of the hotel workers' union, said much work remained to be done.þþThe union and the hotels have been at odds over wage increases, and over the length of the contract that will replace the one that expired in August. A marathon bargaining session on Friday helped convince the hotel operators that the two sides were drawing closer, said Matthew Adams, vice president of the San Francisco Multi-Employer Group, which represents the hotels.þþÿThe dynamic and environment is there to reach an agreement,ÿ Mr. Adams said. ÿWe weren't so confident in that 30 days ago.ÿþþþþ
Source: NY Times
