Union contracts for more than 7,000 Chicago-area hotel workers are expiring tonight. New agreements are nowhere in sight.

The union known as UNITE HERE negotiated the contracts three years ago with hotel companies led by Hilton, Hyatt and Starwood. The agreements have lifted housekeeper wages to $14.60 an hour.

But hotel occupancy has been falling for the last two years. Talks to renew the contracts got started later than last time. And the union says the sides remain far apart.

When the contracts expire at midnight, the companies will be free to lock out the workers, and the union will be free to launch work stoppages. Neither side is making explicit threats.

NEGSTAD: The goal is always to avoid a strike.

That’s Lars Negstad, research director of UNITE HERE Local 1, which represents about 6,000 of the workers.

NEGSTAD: But, if the hotel companies provoke that, it’s up to the workers to decide whether we do that or not.

The union says it wants another round of raises and that the hotel companies are looking for concessions.

Officials of the companies today didn’t answer our questions about the bargaining.