Arizona grocery strike averted

Phoenix The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, Safeway Stores and Kroger Co. said early Friday that a strike has been averted as workers consider a new agreement.

The group reached a tentative settlement on a new collective bargaining agreement late Thursday evening, according to a statement.

Local 99 will submit the tentative agreement to its 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.

Fry's spokeswoman Meghan Glynn said the Arizona stores will operate normally.

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.