Food 4 Less Workers Voting on Strike Authorization Amid Contract Dispute

LOS ANGELES—Members of the union representing 6,000 Food 4 Less workers are voting this week on whether to authorize a strike now that their current contract has expired without a tentative agreement on a new one. The results will be announced after voting ends on Friday, according to a statement by United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442. The contract expired Saturday. The union’s demands include higher pay and safety improvements. “When we started contract negotiations with Food 4 Less/Foods Co., we made it clear that it [was] important to us that we reach a tentative agreement before contract expiration and we came to the table willing to put in the time and work to get that done,” union officials said in a statement Saturday. “But instead of working with us towards a reasonable contract, our employer would rather play games with our livelihoods and offer proposals that grossly underestimate our value and their wealth....