PHOENIX -- Workers at Fry's and Safeway stores in Arizona will remain on the job instead of walking a picket line Friday.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, Safeway Stores and Kroger Company, the owner of Fry's and Smith's, reached a tentative settlement on a new collective bargaining agreement late Thursday evening, according to a news release.
"We're relieved," said one Safeway worker at a store in Sun City West.
"You could see the pressure," said Robert Gasca who also works at that store. "We were elated to hear there was an agreement mainly for the people who were scared about the strike coming so close."
Local 99 will submit the tentative agreement to it's Safeway, Fry's and Smiths members with the union's recommendation that it be approved.
The union and the companies have agreed to extend the existing contract pending the outcome of the membership vote.
Union spokeswoman Ellen Anreder said no details of the tentative agreement would be released until the union and members have a chance to review the deal and vote.
"I'm sure if the union accepted it, it is a good agreement," Gasca said.
Most union members had not seen the details of the agreement early Friday. It could still take a week or two before a vote is finalized.
The union said in a news release early Friday that there will be no work stoppage and all stores will continue to operate as normal.
Fry's spokeswoman Meghan Glynn said the Arizona stores will operate normally.
"It's great that we got our own people in our stores during the ratification process," Glynn said Friday morning. "You'll see the same friendly faces that you're accustomed to."
Customers shopping at various locations were relieved to hear that an agreement had been reached fearing a strike would cause a lot of inconvenience during the busy weekend and upcoming holiday shopping periods.
The previous five-year contract between the union and the companies expired in October 2008, and employees have worked under a series of extensions, the last of which expired Oct. 31 of this year.
The main disagreement was centered on employee health care.
Union members said Fry's and Safeway wanted employees to start paying for their health care.
"We work at a lower wage so our health care is included in that, it's all built in, it's not as if we get it for free, it's part of our pay," Jenkins said.
According to a union spokesperson, negotiations have been underway for a year.
Check back for updates throughout the day.
