The Los Angeles Hotel Employer's Council on Monday made its most generous offer yet to workers at its eight member hotels, in hopes of ending a 13-month labor dispute.

Employers offered raises of $2.50 per hour to non-tipped workers and 40 cents for tipped workers over the life of a four-year agreement, as well as pension hikes for all workers and maintenance of full employer-paid health benefits.

Workers would also get signing bonuses ranging from $250 to $1,000 depending on their job classification and average number of hours worked per week. "We want to finish this thing now," said Fred Muir, a consultant to the council.

Unite HERE Local 11's 2,800 members have been without a contract since April 15, 2004. They are seeking a two-year deal to line up the contract with the 2006 expiration dates that locals in other major cities have secured. That would give the union more national bargaining strength.

Both sides are scheduled to return to negotiations on May 25 for the first face-to-face talks in more than three months.

"That's when the union will respond to what the employers have proposed," said David Koff, research analyst for Local 11. He declined to comment until then.

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