Northern California Safeway Workers Could Strike Saturday if Deal Isn't Made

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Union leaders representing thousands of Safeway workers in Northern California are negotiating with the company for higher wages and better benefits.

Those leaders have set a Friday night deadline. If a deal is not reached, they say employees will strike.

"When is the earliest we could see a strike, if we were to see a strike?" asked ABC 7 News reporter J.R. Stone.

"12:01, 12:01 a.m. on Saturday morning we will be at the stores, you know, that are open at that time, and then early in the morning the next day lines will be up if a deal is not reached," said Jim Araby who represents UFCW Union Local 5. It's of three unions who represent 25,000 workers.

"We're negotiating as we speak right now. Our chief negotiators from the three local unions along with members of the Safeway bargaining committee are negotiating at our trust fund office in Concord as we speak," said Araby.

Safeway is owned by Albertsons who issued a statement Wednesday to us in part saying, "We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon, as we have in other parts of the country through successful collaboration with our union partners to secure agreements that recognize and reward our dedicated associates while supporting the company's ongoing growth."

A federal mediator is involved in negotiations but even at the Safeway store in Burlingame you can see the company is preparing for a possible strike. A flier in the window offers more than $27 an hour for temporary work.

Araby says the goal is reaching a deal. It's unclear how many stores could be affected if that doesn't happen, but it could impact all of Northern California.

"You know, anyone that works at Safeway's. As far south as Bakersfield, up to the Oregon border, and everything in between. Those workers have been working without a contract for the last few months. It will be significant enough to impact Safeway to move them at the table," says Araby.

That said, both sides tell us they are hopeful for a resolution before the union deadline of Friday at midnight.