Workers at a hotel near Chicago's Magnificent Mile ended a four-day strike yesterday afternoon, after leaving managers short-staffed over a tourist-friendly Fourth of July weekend.

The seven employees — all of the door staff and bellhops at the Hilton Suites — are members of Teamsters Local 727. Their contract expired on May 17, and they have since sought higher wages, more benefits and longer vacation time.

They are back at work today, and after meeting with management yesterday afternoon, they agreed to withdraw their complaint of unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board.

The workers have not drawn up a new contract with management, but union leaders say they are optimistic that hotel administrators would negotiate new terms. They had accused managers of claiming that the hotel was in "economic poverty" as an excuse to avoid raising compensation.

"The future looks promising for the union," says Will Petty, spokesman for the Teamsters Joint Council 25, which represents 22 unions in the Chicago area. "We're very pleased that management is coming back to the table."

Hilton Suites General Manager Scott Strickland denied the union's allegations. He says he is glad they can resume negotiations.

"We're happy that the employees returned to work," Strickland says, "and we'll continue to bargain in good faith."

Before yesterday, Petty says, a union representative met with management on June 30. The strike began on Friday, a federal holiday before the Fourth of July.

Petty says the employees, some of whom have worked at the hotel for more than a decade, are paid $6.88 to $8 per hour. The minimum hourly wage for nontipped workers in Illinois rose 25 cents on Wednesday, to $8.