The union had been bargaining over a contract that expired last week. Earlier, 98% of voting members had authorized a strike, alleging the parking association was negotiating in bad faith. By Friday afternoon, more than 30 separate unfair labor practice charges were pending, and a Sunday night Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field was approaching with the possibility of no workers to staff parking lots.

"We said it over and over again at the table — unprecedented times call for unprecedented increases. These members aren't trying to be millionaires, they just want to be middle class," said John Coli Jr., Teamsters Local 727 Secretary-Treasurer, in a statement. "If we can't rely on management to do the right thing, we have to fight for language that protects hardworking teamsters against automation and layoffs."

Coli called the agreement a "major victory," noting that it protects bargaining unit work against emerging technologies, increases paid time off, provides a new retiree benefit, and delivers the largest benefit and wage increases ever achieved by the union in the parking industry.

A Chicago Parking Association spokesperson said in a statement that parking operations are expected to resume immediately. "The Chicago Parking Association is pleased to have reached a settlement with Teamsters Local 727," the spokesperson said. "We look forward to continuing to serve our customers throughout Chicagoland... We appreciate our customers' patience throughout this process and are excited to move forward together."

On Tuesday, parking operations continued normally at O'Hare and McCormick Place despite the picket lines, both sites confirmed. Representatives for the Hyatt Regency did not respond to a request for comment.

The tentative agreement must still be ratified by the union's membership. The strike highlighted growing concerns among workers about automation and the need for stable, middle-class jobs in the parking industry.