For the past several weeks, a labor protest outside the Madison Hotel at 1177 15th Street NW has been causing a real commotion, day and night. But quiet has finally arrived — Michael Neibauer reports that the union, Unite Here Local 25, and hotel management came to a settlement last night with the help of Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, putting an end to the noise, at least temporarily.

The trouble started when the hotel brought in new management which laid off workers and reportedly refused to recognize the union’s existing contract. A strike began shortly thereafter, and it has caused the hotel hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost business. Nothing’s confirmed about the deal, but based on Neibauer’s story, it sounds like things are in motion and the union is set to vote on the proposal on Saturday.

While we’re pleased that labor peace has apparently been achieved, the settlement will be a huge relief for people that live around the hotel who have been struggling with the noise. According to readers that live in the area, protesters have been screaming into megaphones and banging on drums, sometimes as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m. — one even told DCist that the protests have been “so loud that the glass windows on [his] apartment vibrate from the noise.” Of course, it’s worth noting that the reason the protesters could make all the racket is that Evans, with support from labor groups, pushed noise ordinance legislation in 2008 that exempted commercially-zoned areas from decibel regulation.

A reader who contacted Evans’ office regarding the noise received back a message which said that while Evans would continue to “push the union and hotel” toward resolution, concerns regarding the noise ordinance should be directed to Councilmember Phil Mendelson’s Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary.