According to the Los Angeles Times, supermarket workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union voted 95 percent to approve a  strike.  The Union had been negotiating with holding companies of stores including Albertsons, Vons, Ralphs, and Pavilions since January without concensus on an agreement . Brinksmanship appears to have worked with a tentative agreement announced on April 5th. to be ratified that will cover the proximal three years.

At issue were wage increases in the face of inflation, secured pensions, guaranteed hours for part-time workers and the introduction of store-level health and safety committees following the COVID outbreak.  According to corporate releases both Albertsons and the Kroger Company, owners of some of the targeted banners, were committed to negotiating a fair contract but the UFCW was resolute in protecting the interests of its members.  Failure to negotiate a mutually satisfactory agreement would certainly have resulted in a strike, reminiscent of the five month duration walk-out in late 2003 extending into 2004.